Schizophrenia
by FLieS
Summary: Naruto decided to take in Sasuke, who recently lost his mother. Doctors concluded Sasuke's silent, unresponsiveness and uncontrollable behavior as a disorder. But Naruto was starting to have his doubts. He can tell Sasuke's eyes aren't one of a slow and distracted lunatic. But a calculating and perceptive predator in waiting. But what is the little boy waiting for? Later SasuNaru
1. Chapter 1: Him

August 27, 2015 15:50

 **Schizophrenia**

 _ **Disclaimer**_ : I dont own Naruto or any of its people, or methods or ideas or world. Just writing this for fun.

I had a dream about crazy Sasuke and just..have to make a story out of it...maybe eventual Sasuke x Naruto when he grows older..just maybe

•••••

 **Chapter 1**

"Naruto! Going home already?! It's Friday, let's go drinking together!" Kiba yelled from afar.

"No thanks," Naruto snorted", "unlike you, I'm not an alcoholic."

"Hey! I'm not an alcoholic!...I just..like the taste of wine and beer..!" Kiba retorted weakly.

Naruto only smirked and shook his head.

"You're in the denial stage for too long Kiba," the blond sighed as he stuff his record book in his bag and zipped it close.

"Well, it's always denial before recovery right?" Kiba snickered as he swing an arm around his blond friend's.

"Well it doesn't look like you're recovering anytime soon," Naruto murmured. This conversation pops up _every_ Friday night and sometimes, Naruto just give up and went drinking with the mutt and his friends.

"Well...you're such a workaholic," Kiba complained as Naruto placed the orange backpack on his back.

"..Not that good..but still better than being an alcoholic," Naruto chuckled and flicked Kiba's forehead. "And I went drinking with you last week."

"Hey!...what are you talking about? That was **two** weeks ago," Kiba yelped and grumbled as he rub his throbbing forehead.

"Same shit, different name," Naruto shrugged and waved to his friend. "And tell the guys I apologized."

With that, Kiba watched his friend's back disappeared through the glass doors and into the starless night.

••••

Naruto should've taken a train back to his house, it would've been faster than the 30 minute walk home. But today he finally get to see his patient walked off with a smile adorning her face. She had spent weeks in depression after her boyfriend's death and it felt so...refreshing and victorious seeing her happy again. Naruto loves being a therapist for that reason. To see the process of a person in low spirit recovering was truly a sight. And what a better way to celebrate than to take a walk to enjoy his surroundings? Unfortunately, there was barely any stars in the sky to gaze at, the ones that were present was dimmed by the yellow street lights.

Halfway through his walk home, Naruto stopped in front of a large house. It was like a ritual for Naruto everytime he walks home to stop and look at the Uchiha's household. It used to have four loving family members..but it's only Mikoto and her youngest child now. Thinking about the mother and her son, a sudden pang of guilt hit him. And as if on cue, a droplet of water fell and splashed silently on tan arms. Great, Naruto just have to choose the _perfect_ night to take a walk. Just like his dad did...and never came home again. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. No matter how much he worked to forget, no amount of therapy or happiness in life could take away the pain and guilt from years ago. Apologizing to Mikoto millions of times could never payback what she lost. Mikoto repeatedly told Naruto that she was fine, that Naruto had no fault in this, nobody was. But he couldn't do it, he couldn't face her nor her son. Eventually, he visited them less and less and less...until it was years since Naruto last saw their faces.

The rain was pouring and pounding on the pavement like millions of bullets shooting from above. And every single one that landed on Naruto felt heavy and agonizing. Soon the weight of his heart was too much to carry and his legs gave out. Salty tears rolled down from cerulean eyes, mixing in with the bitter rain. His lungs hurt and the guilt was eating him from the inside out. Crying was a way to express bottled up emotions that are unexplainable. Laughing is a way to show happiness that cant be convey through ordinary words. They say laughing is the best medicine...so crying is too right? Or is it the deadliest poison there is?

The rain was so loud to Naruto that he couldn't hear footsteps approaching him. He was too deep in his world, painfully and silently crying out his regrets that he haven't got a clue as an umbrella was held above him.

Naruto lost track of the time he spent pounding on the ground and screeching soundless screams and crying his ass out. But he finally noticed a round shadow protecting him from the rain repeatedly shattering on earth. Naruto glanced to his side and spotted small rain boots standing quietly despite the aggressive storm brewing above. Blue eyes could only stare at the red boots and slowly up, as if he already knew who was standing there. His eyes soften as he realized one day, he'll eventually have to face his fear..and today just so happen to be the day. Ocean blue orbs slowly moved up to meet black, cheerless eyes that was staring down at him, observing every little speck and detail there is.

"Get up," a little voice said and a hand reached down to the blond. Without much hesitation, Naruto grabbed the little pale hands, a smile adorning his face as he stood up. Naruto couldn't help but chuckled when his head hit the top of the umbrella while straightening up.

"Here, I'll hold it," Naruto said and took the umbrella out of the little boy's hand.

"Do you want to come in?" The kid said flatly, his eyes never blinking as he stared straight into blue eyes.

"Uh.." was all Naruto could manage as a reply, he glanced at the Uchiha's house nervously then look back. The onyx eyes looks like it was dragging him into a sweet candy land, but underneath the cover, it was a bitter cemetery.

"Sorry, I..I cant, have to get home," Naruto apologized.

"What are you afraid of?" The little boy asked, his eyes calculating the blond. Naruto jerked back at the sudden question, it shocked him that this boy just read through him as if he were clear glass.

"Come, the storm will only get worse," the boy said and took Naruto's free hand.

"Wait, wait," Naruto panicked at the thought of having to step inside the house he worked so hard to avoid for years. He tried to yank his hand back as he was dragged through the gates but those little fingers felt like an iron grip. Such strong hands for someone so small and fragile looking. Naruto continued his struggle all the way to the front porch and finally gave up as his feet touch the wooden steps. Naruto grumbled as he pulled the umbrella close and hung it on the hooks next to the front door. Having been to the Uchiha's place for countless times, Naruto pretty much knew every nook and cranny of the house and property. He took off his shoes and dumped the water out of it before placing it against the wall to dry. Every move he made, he felt dark eyes watching and following.

"Am I that fun to watch?" Naruto boasted, a smirk play across his face as he took off his socks and backpack. He held up the soggy orange backpack and zipped the bag open. He pulled out another water and fire proof bag, which fortunately, is where his files were kept.

"...No," the little boy replied after awhile, then he took off his raincoat and hung it next to the umbrella along with Naruto's orange backpack, "but you are weird."

Naruto gasped. He assumed this have something to do with the kid seeing him cried and screamed soundlessly in the rainstorm. Those stuff you only see in movies.

"How long were you there?" Naruto asked darkly, feeling his pride slowly being crushed. He watched as the little boy grabbed for the door knob and paused. Naruto was surprised to see a smile, no, more like a smug smirk on the kid's face. Naruto had forgotten for a long time how beautiful and well crafted the Uchihas are.

"Long enough," the kid snorted and opened the door, slightly blinding them both when lights pour through.

Naruto was surprised when he saw a larger figure jumped the little boy and held him in a tight embrace.

"Where have you been? I was worrying sick about you," a lady voice cried into the little boy's shoulder.

"Mom...I told you before I left, I was checking on something at our gate," the little boy sighed and pat his mother's back. Naruto could only watch as the mother and son hugged. He felt bad just by being here after what happened. Now it felt dreadful to watch what he reduced this little family into.

"Naruto?" The lady asked in astonishment as she looked up at the blond.

"...Yes..hello..Mikoto-san," Naruto greeted awkwardly and raised his hand to wave to her.

"Ahhh!" Mikoto screamed and attacked Naruto. He stumbled when he felt a live human adult jumped him with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"I cant believe it, I cant," Mikoto half muttered, half sob as she hugged the blond.

"Haha...well now you can," Naruto chuckled as he returned her hug.

"Goodness!" Mikoto squealed and grabbed both of Naruto's cheeks and stretched it. "You've grown so much!"

"Missed you too Mikoto-san," Naruto said as his cheeks were being squished and pulled and morph around like it was some clay toy.

"You're wet! What were you doing outside without an umbrella?" Mikoto exclaimed, "come in, come in, geeze you need to get dry or you're going to catch a cold, here, let's get you to a hot bath."

As Naruto was being dragged inside the house, the whole time he noticed the boy standing still and was just staring at them impassively.

"Umm..auntie-" Naruto mumbled as Mikoto dragged him in by his wrist.

"Oh! Haha, of course, you're grown now, cant just show an old lady like me everything?" Mikoto laughed.

"Mikoto-san, I have no idea what you're talking about, you look hell a lot younger than me," Naruto chuckled in reply.

"Aww, don't flatter me," Mikoto blushed and touched the side of her face.

"I wasn-" Naruto said but was quick cut off.

"Here, take him to the bathroom for mom okay?" Mikoto said to the little boy. Her son simply nodded and took Naruto's other hand.

"No, I meant-" Naruto began but was once again interrupted.

"No I insisted, I'll make your favorite snack and you can have them when you're done," Mikoto sang as she headed to the kitchen.

Naruto sighed as Mikoto turn around the corner.

"She sure is excited," Naruto said softly.

"She's just happy that you finally came over," the boy added as he too watch his mother walked off.

"Alright, strip," the boy said, looking Naruto in the eye, making it more like a command.

"What?" Naruto snapped.

"The longer you stay in those wet clothes, the higher chance of you catching hypothermia," the little boy explained as he grabbed on the legs of Naruto's pants and yanked.

"Woah!" Naruto yelped as he managed to hold onto his underwear before it was dragged along with his pants.

"Give me a warning next time!" Naruto growled, embarrassed from having a kid pulled down his pants so easily.

"If you understand, go ahead and continue, I'll get you a towel," the boy simply said and he walked off with the wet pants.

"Wait, where are you taking my pants?" Naruto panicked. He felt really exposed right now and if Mikoto came running at this moment, he'll die of embarrassment.

"The hamper, you're welcome to follow," the boy added and continued his way up the marble stairway.

"Since you asked, I'll come along," Naruto retorted and followed the boy while unbuttoning his white dressed shirt.

••••

"Here's the clothes, and the shower room is in that door," The boy said as he took Naruto's wet shirt and handed him dry clothes.

"Oh thanks," Naruto muttered and looked down at the dry bundle of clothes in his hands. He briefly wondered who clothes it used to belong to. Oh goodness, the feeling is bubbling up again and he'd hate to show his baby side to a kid for the _second_ time.

"It used to belong to Itachi," the little boy mentioned as he watched Naruto. It's as if he can read the blond's mind and answered the question out of his own amusement.

"Oh..." Naruto replied quietly. Had this been under normal circumstances, Naruto will be weirded out as fuck if a person answered a question he never asked out loud, but the name blinded him. "Itachi's.."

Feeling eyes boring into him, Naruto suddenly snapped out of it...only to see the little boy observing him impassively.

"Your name.." Naruto asked awkwardly while fiddling with the soft fabric in his hands.

"What? You forgot? Yet you remembered Itachi's?" The boy asked monotonously. His eyes staring deep into ocean ones. And its cracking Naruto's nerves every second there is.

"S..Sousuk-" Naruto started but was cut off.

"Sasuke, the name is Sasuke," the boy muttered and made his way to the hamper. "8 years yet you haven't changed."

Naruto could only gaped at the boy ahead. If he remembered correctly, this kid was still freaking chewing and drooling on baby toys eight years ago, how the hell is he supposed to know Naruto?

"You're going to catch a cold if you keep standing there with your mouth opened," Sasuke shouted from afar and his voice slapping Naruto out of his Lala land. Then he realized the pun Sasuke just made and chuckled.

"Right," Naruto answered before making his miserable way to the fancy bathroom.

•••

The moment Naruto dipped his feet into the hot bath water, he felt all of his bad chemicals float off.

"Heaven," he sighed as he laid underneath the warm water. He wanted to stay here forever and never have to leave and deal with stresses in life. Then suddenly, Naruto jerked up in realization.

He wanted a bubble bath.

He looked through all the bottle on the metal rack just on top of the bathtub. Then finally, hidden behind bunches of shampoo, was a orange bottle. Naruto reached up and grabbed it off the metal shelf. _'Bubble bath shampoo for ages 2 and up, it leaves you smelling like an orange for days_.'

Hm..Naruto wasn't sure he want to be smelling like an orange for days but beggars cant be choosers. He shrugged and squeeze a bunch out and watched as it floated slowly to the bottom of the bathtub. Well, that didn't go as expected. What a pathetic excuse for a bubble bath bottle. Well, its been so long that he forgot and assumed the bubbles would appear once it touches the water. He closed the cap and placed it back on the shelf then stare silently at the soap on the beneath his feet. What to do...

Sasuke snapped up from his book when he heard a loud thud coming from the bathroom. He quickly made his way down the hall to see what was up, but the moment he reached the door, he heard laughter erupting from inside. His hands hesitated on the doorknob, wondering if it was safe to go in. After awhile, Sasuke retreated his pale hands and stood at the doorway from a bit. Then he finally decided to go back, that is, until water leaked out from under the bathroom door. Without hesitating this time, the boy grabbed the handle and turned it. He was greeted with a Naruto splashing his arms in the water as if intimating a chicken being drown.

Now Sasuke understood where the water was coming from, not from Naruto drowning, no it wasn't, but because every single time Naruto flapped his arms, a gallon of water overflowed from the tub. Sasuke stood there and crossed his arms while staring at the blond. It seems Naruto was having so much fun he didn't even realize Sasuke was standing there, once again seeing an embarrassing trait of Naruto Uzumaki. When Naruto came to his senses, finding a kid standing there watching him was too late. Way too late.

••••

"Dry your hair," Sasuke said as he handed Naruto the hair dryer.

"Thanks," Naruto mumbled while he buried his face in his hands. Sasuke had caught him playing in the water like some drowned dog and he even cleaned up after Naruto's mess.

Sighing, Sasuke climbed on the bed and stood behind Naruto. He smacked the blond's head lightly as if to say 'straighten up'.

"Ow.." Naruto grumbled and leaned his head back as tiny hands begin ruffling through his hair. Warm air blew softly into blond locks and on the back of his ears. Naruto felt surprisingly relaxed, sitting on a soft bed while warm air contrasting with his cold, wet hair made the environment extremely..good..for...a...nap...

Sasuke glowered at the blond head resting on him and shortly, soft snoring noises followed. He switched off the hair dryer and grabbed the gray pillow to placed underneath Naruto's head. Hearing soft footsteps coming toward the room, Sasuke quickly throw the blanket on top of the sleeping man and made his way to the door.

Mikoto jerked back a bit when her son opened the door abruptly without her ever nearing hearing distance of the door. It's her son, yet he never fail to amaze and..surprise her.

"Hey, where's Naruto?" Mikoto asked, poking her head into the room.

"Dead," Sasuke answered flatly, when his mother stared at him in horro, he quickly corrected, "asleep. Dead asleep."

"Oh my, how nostalgic..." Mikoto said, covering her mouth as if she's about to cry.

Sasuke glanced back at the sleeping human on the large bed.

"Yeah, sure is," Sasuke breathed, so low his mother could barely hear the words.

••••

"Ugh..." Naruto groaned as his eyelids fluttered open. He never felt so good after waking up before. His body feels amazing, when he gets home, maybe he'll get a higher quality bed. Though he didn't remember ever getting in a proper sleep position, Mikoto must've moved him. Now he felt really bad for wasting her water _and_ then making her waste energy putting him to sleep. Naruto suddenly felt some soft, and warm..thing feathered over his arm. On instinct, he immediately retracted his arm and turned toward the source. Expecting to see some ghost but all Naruto saw was the little boy earlier curled up in a ball with a book next to him, and he couldn't help but smiled a little. No matter how tough Naruto gets, his weakness will always be children. They're such innocent angels that should be kept away from the horror of the world, a fragile treasure. Naruto carefully draped the blanket over Sasuke and picked up the book lying there. The cover was blank and dark blue. Curious, he flips to the first few pages, he chuckled quietly as he read a few lines about ninjas and an imaginary wonderland. So this is the type of books Sasuke likes to read, how typical of little boys. Naruto was the same...except he didn't bother with thick chapter books like this, with words but no pictures. If he could, Naruto would always choose picture-only comics to read when he was little. Naruto ran his fingers through the fine pages of the book and randomly flipped to a page. He scanned through it and a phrase caught his blue eyes. " _I laugh maniacally, then take a deep breath and touch my chest- expecting a heart to be thumping quickly, impatiently, but there's nothing there, not even a bea-"_ (1)

"I see you enjoy reading other people's things without their consent," a voice erupted from behind the covers. Jerking up from the familiar voice, Naruto slapped the book closed.

"Oh..sorry," Naruto mumbled and handed the book to Sasuke, who took it without losing eye contact. Naruto briefly wondered how a kid so young managed to keep eye contact and attention on one thing for so long.

Naruto diverted his eyes away from black ones. That's when he begin to wondered what time it was. Tan fingers reached out to the curtains just behind the bed's headboard, his fingers curled around the fabric and pulled it apart.

"Dawn barely touched the surface of earth," Naruto breathed in wonder as he stare at the plains behind the Uchiha's property. Green lush and trees surrounded the grass field, it was even more beautiful with the sky violet and a tint of pinkish orange highlighting the bottom.

"..5:54," Sasuke said as he watched the fascination glittering in ocean blue eyes turned to shock.

"How'd you know?" Naruto inquired. From the look on his face, Sasuke assumed that Naruto thinks Sasuke as some smart, full of wisdom kid who know the exact time just by looking outside. A little smirk played across Sasuke lips as he pointed to a spot on the wall behind Naruto. Blue eyes followed the little finger and spotted a ticking clock up near the ceiling.

"Hah, 5:55," Naruto corrected smugly.

Sasuke shrugged and shot right back, "time change old man, no answer stay right forever."

Naruto whistled at the boy's response.

"For someone so little, you sure have a witty mouth," Naruto chuckled and ruffled the kid's head.

"Hey, is my clothes dried?" Naruto asked briefly.

"No, it's still in the hamper," Sasuke replied as he watched Naruto slid his feet off the bed.

"Not staying for breakfast?" The boy asked flatly while Naruto muttered something about picking up the clothes later.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Naruto huffed,"Have work."

"It's Saturday, I thought therapists have an easy schedule," Sasuke inquired, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"That's where _you're_ wrong," Naruto hissed and poked the little boy's forehead. "I'm an expert, you know time can get busy for us."

"Dream on," Sasuke mocked silently.

"Is Miko- your mom awake? I want to greet her before I leave," Naruto mentioned while stretching his limbs. When he used to visit here and have sleepovers, Mikoto-san always wake up early to enjoy the morning beauty. Back then Naruto didn't understand what the hell that meant but he seen it now.

"Should be," Sasuke shrugged and snuggled back under the blanket.

"Alright, see you later kiddo," Naruto waved and walked out, closing the door behind him.

••

Soft humming sounded throughout the empty halls as Naruto took his time walking around the large house. It was still pristine and beautiful, just as he had remembered it. Then he briefly wondered who took over the Uchiha's company after Fugaku's and Itachi's death. He checked a few times and the company was still as large or probably larger than before. He guessed Mikoto must've hired someone smart to take over in her stead because he knows she's not the business type. As he made his way to Mikoto's room, he decided to ask her later while having those favorite snacks of his.

When he spotted a familiar door, Naruto excitedly ran to it. He considered Mikoto as her second mother before he start avoiding her and now it felt great to finally be back.

Naruto approached the door and knocked on it lightly. The door creaked opened, pitch black darkness oozed out from the room. Naruto stared at it oddly, maybe she isn't in here, but Mikoto never leaves her door open, she always close it tightly after entering or leaving.

"Mikoto-san?" Naruto called out as he placed his ear near the door. Having not receive any reply, Naruto slowly pushed the door open. The first thing he notice was how cold this single room was compared to the rest of the house. Naruto racked his brains to see if Mikoto have any need-cold-air-to-sleep problem but encountered none. It was dark and blue eyes was having a difficult time adjusting, yet he can still kind of make out a figure laying on the bed. Naruto quickly ran his finger up the wall in search of the light switch and then he felt a plastic bump on the wall and pressed hard. Nothing happened. Feeling confused, tan fingers aggressively and repeatedly jabbed the button yet no lights explode throughout the room. Considering the amount of sound Naruto was making, he was surprised to get no response from Mikoto. One thing Naruto know for sure is Mikoto was not a deep sleeper. Then he suddenly remembered about the lamp next to Mikoto's bed and waltz his way to it, hoping he wont accidentally step on a mouse trap or something.

Naruto was a grown adult and he felt many pain through all his years alive, but he swore, nothing felt more painful then his toe jamming hard into the bed's leg. Within seconds, Naruto collapsed on the floor and silently gasping in pain, all the while clutching his swollen toe. Curse humans for making something so damn dangerous. After a few minutes of resting and recovering, Naruto finally propped himself up and pat around the bed to help navigate his way to the lamp. That is, until his fingers accidentally landed on something, warm, wet, and sticky. He quickly pulled his hand back and observed the liquid in the dark.

"Ew, okay, that was not meant to be touched," Naruto whispered in disgust as he wiped it on the carpet. From the look of it, its some black oil littering the bed and that was not good. He carefully crawled along the bed, the feeling of the sticky oil still lingering as he made his way to the lamp. His hand hover around to search for the lamp's leg, when he felt the metal pole, he happily stood up and pulled the string. Dim, yellow light flood through the entire room. There was a brief moment and the lights was swiftly turned off just as it had turned on. Naruto's hand shook as he gripped tightly on the string. His fingers slowly pulling on the lamp switch again. _Don't you dare fingers, don't you fucking dare pull_. Despite his mind telling him to stop, his heart couldn't obey.

 _Click._

And the lights once again danced to a twisted tune around the room. Naruto couldn't move, his limbs wouldn't move, they're frozen in place and the only thing that belongs to him were his eyes. His eyes were looking, taking in everything. He looked down at his hand and realized, _oh, that wasn't black oil, it was something more coppery...and red_.

She was holding a knife in her pale, nimble fingers. The sharper side of the blade facing up. Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Everywhere. Mikoto's blood tainted the whole bed, turning it into a beautiful maroon color. With her hair flowing out, she looked like a doll floating gently in a river of red.

"Naruto?" A voice rang out. And immediately, the lights clicked off as the voice near. Naruto stood there, his fingers slowly letting go of the string and dropped to his side.

"Are you okay?" A gentle voice once again asked. Unconsciously, Naruto reached down and grabbed a clean part of the bed sheets. His hand automatically cleaned off the red substances stuck on his fingers.

"Don't come in, your mom is sleeping," Naruto said, his voice devoid of any emotion. His feet took small steps toward the little figure standing at the doorway.

Sasuke stood and watched as Naruto sluggishly came his way. He observed the blond's face when he stepped into the light. Nothing. His face had nothing on it.

"Is...everything..alright?" Sasuke asked, reaching for Naruto's hand.

Naruto jerked his hand away when he saw the incoming contact.

"Yeah...everything will be fine."

••••••••

You know what got me into the mood of writing this dark part!? Not cuz my kitchen shelf is empty, no, not cuz my favorite mug broke, no no! BUT ITS BECAUSE I RECEIVED MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND NOW I'M PISSED! *pant pant* I sometimes wondered if you need to be crazy to write about crazy people but hey, look at me, I'm perfctly normal.

I know I have my other the day you kiss me blah blah blah story to continue before I start this weird one but I couldn't help it...

(1) American Psycho -Bret Easton Ellis

August 29, 2015 13:14


	2. Chapter 2: Like Butterflies

November 27, 2015 23:55

 **Disclaimer** : None of the Naruto's characters appearances or any of that is mine. The story idea is though :

Warning: A bit of SasuNaru-ish but its more of an obsession rather than love. Dead people. Depression. And um..uh...what else...odd..thoughts process.

This is the 6th freaking time I rewrote this chapter. Not even going to bother with life anymore. It's only the second chapter and I'm already struggling...

YugiKitten: Hrmmm...I'm not spilling any beans about it yet heheh just wait and see

 ** _Present Age_**

Naruto: 19

Sasuke:10

•••••••••••••••

 **Chapter 2: Like Butterflies**

It was 6:24 in the morning. The sun had just broke dawn, yet a crowd wasted no time surrounding the Uchiha's property. Journalists, polices, civilians, detectives, nurses and doctors, even an occasional curious cat, buzzed around like bees near their nest. However, they all went unnoticed by Naruto. There were screeching sounds of emergency vehicles and police shouts all around. Yet, his ears couldn't register it. Arms and hands were pulling on him, footsteps constantly pounding on the floor. But his nervous system couldn't feel it. He was numb to the world. All he could see was a lifeless body covered in a beautifully stained red, white sheet. The wheels turning as the hospital cart moved along the marble floor, it was the only thing that managed to dig its way into Naruto's ears. The cold wind swishing as the cart ran by was the only thing he could feel on his tan skin. It sent an unknown chill down his entire spine. He did it again...and succeeded every time...he _killed_ a person close to him. It was too much of a coincident that everyone who are important to him just happened to _drop dead_. Unconsciously, the blond gazed down at his own shaky hands. It was the hands of a grim reaper and a murderer. How long will it be before the police busted his criminal ass? The next time he looks at himself in the mirror, it'll be behind metal bars. Funny how he can think of such things despite his second mother figure just fucking died. Ah, he's a therapist, an expert of human's emotional patterns, he should know better. Humans tend to focus on other subjects to distract themselves from reality's cruel punches. Like wrestlers focusing on the fight to numb their pain...but, the damage stays the same nonetheless. If his rib is broken, it is broken, thinking about something else, won't heal it.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" A soft voice asked. At the corner of his eyes, Naruto could see the tip of their dress shoe. A police lady. Without, looking up, he nodded toward the voice.

"Are you alright? Can you walk?" The voice said once again. Naruto could hear the worry and questioning tone in the woman's voice. He couldn't understand the meaning of those soft words. He was standing fine. Fine. Straight. Normal. Fine. His knees didn't feel shaky, his feet didn't hurt, he wasn't physically hurt, just mentally traumatized, emotionally damaged and spiritually broken. Nothing new. Nothing impossible to handle or hide.

"Naruto," a different voice called. This one was toneless yet held so much power and intimidation that it smacked the blond right out of his train of thoughts. He recognized that voice, it belongs to someone he knew. Someone he knew only for a short time yet they became the root of fear in the blond. Fear that soon enough, he'll force this person to jump off the "life" cliff, too.

"Look at me," the voice demanded once again. The vibrations in the tone sending shivers down Naruto's spine and raising every little hair on his neck. He shook his head persistently like a defiant child refusing to obey his parents. He didn't want to see what was written on that beautifully crafted face. He was too afraid of criticism, of resentment..of death that often danced in those obsidian eyes. Never blinking, hypnotic and silent. Sasuke's eyes never spoke a word of his mind. Those dark orbs were always judging, but it never shows the result of the judgement. It was empty and..sorrowful. As if staring into a corpse's soul.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a pair of pale, bare feet with perfectly aligned toes moving. It made its way toward the blond, each strong steps saying it was tired of Naruto's stubborn bullshit and decided to end it. It paused directly in front of him and stood silently.

"Look at me," The voice said sternly yet keeping a soft tone as if the blond will break with a single harsh breath.

Cerulean eyes briefly looked up from the ground and met starless night ones. The moment their eyes landed on each other, it took Naruto's breath away. **Literally**. His breathing turned haggard. His knees felt weakened as the boy's gaze penetrated him in the most cruel way. It sent his whole body shriveling with guilt and terror.

A small hand reached toward the blond, slowly as if being cautious. The moment the fingers came into Naruto's view, the blond cowered back like a child expecting to be scolded for misbehaving. He was reverted back into the old days where if one sees an unknown object approaching, it's an instinct to run for their fucking life. In Naruto's current hazy state of mind, those fingers were claws of an angel and he was a deer with only two legs. Everything just seems amiss.

Without any warning, small but forceful fingers latched itself onto Naruto's hands. Locking tightly around tan flesh like a bear's around its honey jar. The only difference was Naruto isn't a jar, he's human...and human feel pain. He couldn't do anything but let out a startled gasped at the sudden touch. Naruto wasn't quite sure why he didn't scream. Maybe he was too shocked or because he had his pride to keep as an adult. He made a mental note to start working out when things settle down. For one, if holding hands with a kid hurt, that's when you know it's time to get a membership card at the nearby gym.

"Sir, it's best if you leave this house for the moment, would you like a ride home?" The police lady asked once again. Naruto swore he heard a scowl coming from the raven as the officer spoke. Yet, she was oblivious to the tightening grip Sasuke have on the blond.

"Uh...actually...I...have a place... I'll walk," Naruto answered, wincing slightly as Sasuke continuously stared at him. The raven was a kid, so Naruto didn't have much of an expectation when the subject is on 'consideration'. But he at least expects Sasuke to know when a stare was getting uncomfortable. Like now. Now is uncomfortable. No, it is _very_ uncomfortable. The atmosphere is like the Northern hemisphere in this house yet Naruto swore he felt himself sweating.

"Walking? That's perfectly fine," Naruto could hear the police lady cheered and smiled worriedly. Avoiding Sasuke's face, Naruto tilted his head slightly toward the police's joyous voice. It was a relaxing aspect in this dead house.

"Yes, that's right...walks...are good," Naruto mumbled, reminding himself of the subject at hand. He stood up, his arms still connected to the raven's. Before anyone could say a word, the blond ripped his hands away and bolted for the front door.

Naruto slam passed the wooden doorway. Scrambling as his foot caught on a bump and almost bringing death to him. But then again, that isn't possible since death was already with him since his birth.

Dark eyes followed the blond figure that just fled out of the door. He held in a sigh as he directed his attention back to the police lady. He didn't say a word as their eyes met. Without further eye contact, Sasuke strolled toward the kitchen where the back door was.

••••••••••••••••

He ran and ran and ran, his bare feet scratching the hard concrete road. He ignored the pain from the delicate skin on his soles as it cried red blood. He wanted to be isolated, to get away from the crowd gathered at the Uchiha compound, to get away from humans in general. To arrive at a place where no curious, prying eyes can watch him scream and bawl his heart out. His safe haven where he could convey everything behind the world's curtains without a care. To put it simply, on his bed, under the blanket drinking hot chocolate and watching animal documentaries. He held no real interest in animals and documentaries. However, when those two gets combined, he cared even less. It's a distraction from his life and human's drama. Just watching a deer run while its baby gets eaten by a lion is enough to direct the blond away from daily life issues. He'll do whatever, it doesn't matter...whatever it takes to drug his mind into thinking he had a satisfying past and present.

Naruto didn't know how long he had been running, but his breathing finally turned haggard. His pace slowed as his lungs and heart tired. His knees gave out and sent the blond tumbling onto the floor hard, hopefully, his nose didn't break because of this. He stay collapsed on the floor, trying to catch his breath with fishnets. He took in the smell of the concrete floor and a strange hint of acid...at least, that proved he haven't died. In his current state, he felt so unhealthy yet healthy at the same time. This feeling was indescribable, the adrenaline rush felt incredible, like drugs in his system. Yet he was tired, like all of his muscle had dissipated into the sky. Not once had Naruto thought about his age, but now he finally acknowledged him growing old. What was he? 20? 18? It didn't matter...it's his mental health that was getting old...he's a 19-year-old that felt like an 80-year-old. However, for once he felt young, impulsive, reckless...and dumb. After thinking back to his decisions, Naruto realized how stupid he had acted. His feet was bleeding and leaving red footprints behind the blond. However, he was too afraid to look back. He knew his mental health wouldn't be able to survive if he sees any more blood today. He felt a bit a bit stupid for not accepting that car ride offer. Stupid for not slipping on slippers. Stupid for leaving Sasuke alone during this fragile time. Stupid for..for everything he has done. Stupid for-

 _Crunch_.

"Huh?" Naruto's head jerked up warningly, his mind searching for something. Goosebumps were slowly rising on the back of his neck. Naruto abruptly pushed his body off the ground to stand on his injured feet. He rubbed his arms to warm himself up a bit. His head turning every direction to check his surroundings, at the same time, careful not to accidentally examine his bloody footprints. There was something amiss...but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He felt eyes on him...but the streets itself don't even have a living soul floating around. That was the problem, where is everyone? Where are the children running with breakfast in their mouth as they bolted for school? Where are the housewives chattering and gossiping about how that one girl was pregnant? Where are the adults dressing in suits as they prepare to go to work? Where are the thugs that usually hung about in the dark alleys? It felt wrong. Was there something ominous in the air that sent everyone fleeing? His breath was close to hyperventilating, his heart beating faster by the minute. Damn! And he just succeeded in getting his breathing back to normal, too. Like a broken mirror, this was a bad omen. He grabbed his head to calm his thoughts. Strange. Strange. Strange. He couldn't understand, couldn't make sense of the situation. Where was everyone? Why is he the only one? What is going to happen?! Humans are scared of the unknown, it sent panic signals into their mind to tell them to run. Except Naruto didn't run, he was having a mental breakdown. Everything seems to always go wrong in his life.

 _Crunch_.

Like lightning, the blond spun and leaped 5 feet away, his heart beating a thousand miles per hour. His eyes lurking in every single angle of the streets, trying to pin anything out of place. Naruto heaved a tired sigh as he spotted the twig he had accidentally stepped on. He closed his eyes in frustration. He was way too paranoid right now. He needed to calm-

"Wait...I didn't step on any twig," Naruto muttered to himself, his eyes wide open in realization. But the twig was laying broken right, freaking there. How? Maybe his feet hurt so much it was numb-

 _Crunch_.

Blue eyes flared open in alertness. Naruto glanced down at his feet. No movement. No twig. Just blood. His brain was processing the information and couldn't make sense of it. _Where are these noise keep coming from?!_

"Hey-" a voice sounded from behind the blond.

 _Ahhhhhhhh_!

••••••••••••••

"Sasuke! Don't sneak up on me like that! You woke up the whole neighborhood!" Naruto scowled, his hands on his hips like a mother scolding her child. The kid surprised the living shit out of him. Naruto didn't just scream loudly, it was girly, too. He didn't just wake the sleeping dead, possibly all 7 billion something people in the world heard it.

The only response he received from the little raven boy was complete silent. Sasuke's eyes were simply focused on Naruto's as if searching for something deep in those ocean blue eyes. This wasn't something Naruto was used to, usually, he's the one doing the analyzing because he needed to observe his patients. The blond made a mental note to decrease the amount of staring he does on his patients because this was nerve wrecking.

"What are you staring at? Why are you so quiet?" Naruto asked nervously. His hands unconsciously gripping the hem of his shirt and playing with the fabric. Sasuke sent a glance at his actions, however, it was so quick of a glance that no one could notice. But Naruto noticed.

"No need to be nervous," the raven finally said as he lifted up his little left hand along with a black object. Naruto flinched slightly. He didn't know what to be shocked at, a kid speaking like an adult or the fact that he's giving Naruto an umbrella... there's not even a sign of precipitation. The blond looked down at the object offered to him. With hesitation, he slowly grabbed it and stared oddly back at the kid. There was a moment of silent. Naruto had no idea why Sasuke had given him the umbrella. What was he supposed to do? Kill people with it?

After a minute of awkward silent, Sasuke took the umbrella back because it seemed like Uzumaki wasn't getting anywhere anytime soon. Like a child watching his parents, Naruto stood there like an idiot as Sasuke reached for the button and popped the umbrella open.

"Here, use it," Sasuke said as he handed the umbrella back to Naruto.

"What...is this for?..." Naruto asked warily while carefully lifting the umbrella over his head. The moment he was underneath, Naruto felt warmer. Then he kind of understood the little boy's action.

"It's...raining," Sasuke pointed out the obvious. Which..wasn't very obvious to the shocked blond. All these time, Naruto were walking in the rain? He didn't feel anything, the only indicator he felt were the goosebumps on his skin. And...the smell of acid on the ground. Realization and reality didn't hit him until just now.

Sasuke crooked his head slightly to the side as he study the blond silently. His expression devoid of any emotion or thoughts as he stood completely unfazed by the droplets falling from the sky.

"What are you doing outside of the umbrella, kiddo?" Naruto laughed warmly as he gently grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him closer. He could feel Sasuke nervous system froze as their body made contact. Naruto never realized it before...maybe it's because they're both wet...but Sasuke felt icy cold under his embrace.

"You're freezing, Sasuke," Naruto fretted, his eyes roved down to the boy's feet. He almost gasped but stopped himself. The ground where Sasuke stood were covered with blood that pooled out from the bottom of his soles. Sasuke was probably busy following Naruto that he didn't have time to slip on shoes either. Guilt bubbled up inside his guts as he watched Sasuke standing there like a soaked cat. He kneeled down next to the boy and ruffled wet midnight hair. Naruto noticed the way Sasuke's eyes were glued to his blue ones as if they are the most interesting thing in the world. The blond briefly wondered why he was so fascinated by a pair of plain, old, blue eyes. Perhaps living with the Uchihas for so long, he grew tired of the beautiful darkness? But Naruto knew his eyes were nowhere as bright as his dad's. The older man had the brightest and clearest blue crystalline eyes, it's as if one was looking into a sapphire crystal under the sunlight. But that is now nothing but empty sockets on a skeleton head. Naruto wished he have the ability back then to take those beautiful eyes before it died and preserve them. But it was all too late now. He shook his head violently before it dive any deeper into the lake of regrets.

"Here, hold the umbrella. we only got two more blocks to go," Naruto said hurriedly as he nudged the umbrella into Sasuke's chest. He watched curiously as the little boy blinked himself back to reality. Naruto was a therapist..but he wasn't one specializing in kids. Their brains are less developed so their thoughts are simple. But because it's simple, it is hard to predict their actions. According to Ino, children are blunt and talked a lot and it made her job easier. He wonder how she would react if she had to sit for a talk with Sasuke? It'll most likely be a dead silent session. It's so true he couldn't even laugh at it. Sasuke was quiet and doesn't express much so it wasn't easy to see what's playing in his head. Seeing the boy distracted and unresponsive, Naruto shook the umbrella slightly to get the boy's attention.

Feeling an object pushed toward him, Sasuke deliberately grab the hilt of the umbrella with his one of his hand. He stared down at pale fingers wrapped around the stick and then back up to Naruto as if he wanted to say something.

There was a moment of silent as they stayed there, the blond waiting for Sasuke to say what he wanted. And apparently, he didn't want to say anything.

"..What?.." Naruto said slowly as he nervously stared back into hard, dark eyes. Despite everyone in his family died, Naruto couldn't find any broken pieces of grieve in the raven's eyes. On the other hand...his own eyes are so broken it had lost its color long ago.

"Your eyes...they are similar to...," Sasuke started but paused as he analyzed the way Naruto froze up at the mention of his eyes.

What Naruto was afraid of more than death was someone knowing his secrets. The fact that Sasuke noticed something in his eyes was enough to send a thousand volt down his spine. He was so shocked that his mind wasn't even aware of the small hand coming toward him. The only indicator he felt was a bit of cold and warm heat mixing in together.

Sasuke placed his thumb on the blond's face in an attempt to calm him. His effort deemed ineffective. When Naruto made no movement, the raven ran his finger gently along the scar on soft, tan cheeks in the most agonizingly slow motion. Had Naruto's heart beat at the same pace, he'll be close to dead. Despite that, the blond felt it. He felt the unwelcome touch. It didn't feel like when his friend slapped their finger on his face to get the grain of rice off. But it wasn't like the way Tsunade does it when she's proud of him for overcoming the worst either. Slightly, only slightly, it felt like the way Sakura caressed his cheek in a sad and loving way after the day was over. Still...it wasn't an accurate enough comparison. Blue eyes followed pale fingers as it linger slowly on his scar...like it was moving one millimeter an hour. The way it moved gracefully yet a hidden speck of forceful and dangerous feeling behind it. It...reminded him of-

"...butterflies," Sasuke said bluntly, his eyes half lidded as he focus on the way Naruto's cheeks stretched where his thumb pushed slightly into the skin. His nails dug shallowly into the delicate surface, leaving a red liquid mark as he stroked along the blond's scar. Just when he reached the end of the scar, Sasuke's hand fell stiffly to his side and fitting in like a puzzle piece.

Naruto stays kneeling on one knee with his arms ready to pick the boy up. Blue eyes were dilated, his lips slightly parted as if he were about to say something but stopped. He had no idea how to address this issue. A little boy 10 years younger than him **_did not_** just rewrite his scars. But what surprised Naruto even more was the fact that he didn't do anything but grin and froze up like a dead chicken...Naruto was so speechless he couldn't..couldn't even... He look directly ahead, his eyes unfocused and a forced smile plastered on his face. He would always grin and laugh when a situation was out of his control or when he couldn't say something in reply.

"Your eyes are like butterflies," Sasuke repeated slowly and clearly to make sure the blond would catch his words this time. However, his effort went unnoticed. Sighing, he cupped the blond's chin and directed his attention back to the subject.

Naruto shook his head in response to the foreign touch as if a fly landed on him. His smile faltered as his focus return to the boy holding the umbrella. As far as he knew, whatever happened earlier with Sasuke never occurred.

 _Nope. Never. Didn't happen_.

That's right, denial is the answer, he simply need to forget about it. He needs to think about something else.

 _Butterflies. The butterfly comment. Of course, Naruto, focus on the fucking comment._ ** _FOCUS. ON. THE. COMMENT_** _._

Realizing Sasuke just wanted attention, Naruto flashed a bright grin as if to say he acknowledged the boy. Behind the smile, his mind struggled to ignore the earlier event.

"W-Why butterflies?" Naruto mumbled, trying to sound as happy and not nervous as he can.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and curiously observe the blond's expression. A smile. There was a smile.

"Fragile. Butterflies can be easily shredded by just being held in a human's palm," the little raven stated simply, making a grasping motion with his free hand to express his explanation. However, he immediately stopped as the smile on the blond's face sunk like a rock in the ocean.

Naruto adverts his eyes away to avoid looking at the little boy. That was a bit messed up. But what had he expected? Kids nowadays aren't exactly innocent. He has no idea how to treat them when they behave adult-ish. He remembered helping Hinata in a daycare, it was a traumatizing event that he does not like recalling. A little girl took a toy kitchen knife and pretended to stab him in the stomach. All the while whispering ' _die, die, die, die_ '. Naruto had quickly told her she shouldn't do that, hopefully, he stopped the future from gaining a murderer. His eyesight was caught by a bit of blood still lingering on the raven's thumb. His eyes followed it as it brushed lightly on the boy's shorts. Naruto was going insane in the back of his head. It was the same finger that scratched him...yet those blood weren't his. It should be...why isn't it his?! Confusion boiled up inside his stomach. It reminded him of _her_. It wasn't his, it was _her_ 's. Just to make sure, Naruto lifted his hand and touched his face. The tips of his fingers brushed over the new wound but at the same time, an old scar. Like a paper cut, it stung yet no blood smeared on his fingers. It already dried and healed.

"You...scratched me..." Naruto said in horror, his eyes wide from the fact that it wasn't his blood. It couldn't be his blood, but it have to be. No...if it was his, Naruto would have a panic attack the moment he sees the blood. Because his blood was a reminder of how he got these scars...he couldn't remember the incident well. He had locked it deep within the back of his mind and threw the key far out into the vast sea. Naruto no longer has access to those memories...it was simply too difficult to search for the sunken key. It was better this way, those memories were much more cruel than the deaths of his loved ones...because at least he remembered their deaths.

"Does it hurt?" Sasuke asked, his voice flat, but Naruto could almost feel the displeased tone it carried.

"No, not really," Naruto answered skeptically while looking down at his palm in an attempt to calm himself. It didn't hurt. The pain from the previous scars numbs the feeling of the new slit inflicted upon him. He was numb to it because nothing could hurt more than the way those scars were carved onto his skin. He didn't know how it got there...but his body still haven't let go of the memory. Naruto was a vibrant empty shell abandoned by its soul. A shell that is slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea to be buried forever.

Hot droplets of salty liquid ran down Naruto's face, burning the cut on his cheeks like hydrogen peroxide on wounds. He didn't know what triggered it, but the unconscious part of him knew and cried for it. How can he have the weakness to cry when the world he lived in forces him to grow up strong? Everyone have to be weak before they can truly be steady enough to fight their fear. But Naruto never got the nerve or time to fight what made him vulnerable, he just simply skips over it. And every time it came back to hit him, it broke more and more of him off. Eventually, he'll become an empty canvas after the paint have been peeled off.

Sasuke stood silently and studied the tears falling involuntarily from cerulean eyes. He cocked his head to the side, wondering what he should do. Last time the blond cried, he was banging and screaming so Sasuke just waited it out. This time...it was a little more difficult to deal with, but it wasn't the first time it happened.

Sasuke hand's reached out and patted the blond, damp hair in an awkward manner.

"Don't cry Naruto, it's just two more," Sasuke muttered warmly. His face leaning in and placing a delicate kiss on Naruto's forehead like he was a fragile dandelion on a breezy summer day. Despite being gentle, he can feel the blond tensed up as if his limbs were pierced in a painful way.

The action...however, was not what brought alertness into Naruto's mind. It was the words that slipped out of the raven's mouth...and the tone it carried. It bothered him...like a sharp object poking the back of his mind and telling him to guess what it is. He looked up at the boy's face just above his. Naruto's face was written with confusion and curiosity as their eyes met merely inches away from each other. Almost. He could almost see it. Something...in those eyes that screamed déjà vu...if only he could rip the cover off the Uchiha's eyes.

Sasuke chose that moment to leaned back and resumed his previous spot. There was something dangerous dancing in Naruto's eyes that Sasuke didn't want to mess with just yet.

"What did you say? Say it again!" Naruto urged, his voice close to panicking as he grabbed Sasuke's wrist to prevent the boy from escaping.

"I said, don't cry," Sasuke repeated, his eyes focused on the way Naruto's gaze intensified.

"No, after that," Naruto said hurriedly to hide his shaky voice. The probing on the back of his mind became painfully more urgent.

"It's just two more," Sasuke said hesitantly as he looked up and tried to remember his previous dialogue.

"Two? Two what?!," Naruto asked desperately, his grip unconsciously tightened around pale, thin wrists. His mind was begging for the next words to be right. He wanted it to be a twinkling sparkle at the bottom of the sea, to guide him to the key. The key to his hidden memories.

"Two more blocks till your destination...did you not say it earlier?" Sasuke replied tonelessly, his wrists unfazed by the tightening grip. He watched the hope and anticipation in Naruto's face flew away like pigeons as they shed white feathers of disappointment to litter the ground.

Naruto almost had it, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. He saw the light on the bottom of the sea...only to find it was a coin and not the key. Feeling hopeless, he fell back and sat on the wet concrete ground tiredly, ignoring the rain seeping into his pants.

"Why is living as a human so hard?" Naruto asked shakily as he buried his head in his hands. He would frequently ask himself this question to motivate himself to keep going. It always reminds him about how he survived the worst part in life, things can't get any worse so he can just enjoy the events to come. But those thoughts were getting old, they're getting less and less effective. He was at the point where he just want to lay in bed and drown in the sea. Goodness, he needs something...anything, a floater to help keep him from drowning. Yes, that's exactly what he needed, floaties.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Sasuke asked plainly, not even a drop of worry in his tone. Despite the fact that he did not specifically mentioned _mental health_ , both knew what the question really meant. _Naruto, are you mentally falling_?

Naruto stilled as his eyes directed at Sasuke's toes and his mind focused on the raven's words. He hated to admit it but he's on the boundary between insane and sane...he didn't want to think about it. It's like he's on a shaky, fishing boat..in the middle of the ocean. He wanted to stay on it, to continue on...but it's getting harder and harder to keep from tipping over. The sane part of him is slowly fading like the morning mist. He was scared yet he knew someone someday will eventually bring it up. He was just a bit surprised that Sasuke would be the one to spit it out.

"Let's go, we shouldn't stay out too long," Naruto decided determinedly as he got up, ignoring Sasuke's previous question. He wrapped his arms around Sasuke and picked the boy up in haste. If the raven was surprised, either he didn't show it or Naruto didn't notice it.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked in a simple tone. So many unanswered questions. Naruto left so many mysteries lying around and refused to pick any up.

"Carrying you, what else does it seem like?," Naruto answered as he walked down the street with Sasuke secured in his arms.

"...Why?" The raven asked, genuine curiosity colored his toneless voice.

"Because your feet is bleeding.." Naruto pointed out the obvious. Carrying Sasuke was like holding a mannequin. There was absolutely no movement, no getting-comfortable shuffling, not even a heartbeat.

 _Maybe it's because Sasuke's a kid, and... kids...got a smaller heart...so they got a quieter heart beat right?_

But what does Naruto know about kids anatomy? Hell, forget children, he doesn't even know much about **his** own body.

"You are bleeding too," Sasuke mumbled, his face buried in Naruto's bare neck. He couldn't move even if he wanted to, the way Naruto held the raven was that of an amateur. Sasuke would've died by now if he had been a dumb, oblivious kid.

"It's fine, it's not that far from S-," Naruto tried to reason, but his retort was interrupted by a firm voice.

"NARUTO!" the woman called out from inside a car behind the blond. She pulled up next to Naruto as he scrambled out of the way like he was running from an apocalypse. Geeze, her driving isn't that hazardous.

"Baa-chan," Naruto almost cried as he recognize the woman in the car. Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the blond and it was enough to send the boy running to her like a puppy. What can she say? She is his role model after all. Well...not exactly his role model, the only thing he wanted to pick up from her were the skills...not the drunken, bad-tempered, and reckless driving traits.

"Hop in, we got stuff to discuss..somewhere," Tsunade ordered as she motioned for the blond to the backseat. Her eyes didn't miss the silent raven clinging to Naruto. In fact, they had kept a surprisingly long and intense eye contact the moment she drove into the street. There was something bothering her about the way those dark eyes held no will to live and spreading the deadliness to others. She knew who he was at a single glance. Despite the Uchiha family staying quiet and secluded after the murder, no one could forget the tragedy that played out that night. Everyone in the town knew about Mikoto and her last living child, but that was pretty much it. Tsunade only knew more about the family because she and Sasuke's mother had personal therapy sessions together. Tsunade was so damn sure Mikoto had recovered after two years of them just talking it out day by day, but that, unfortunately, wasn't the case.

She watched as Naruto placed the little boy on the seat like a mother bird. Without any verbal exchange, Naruto handed Sasuke's a blanket and help lifted his wet shirt over the raven's head. In a snap, the boy was sitting carelessly on the seat, naked, wrapped in a warm blanket, and not giving a shit.

Naruto slipped out of his own soaked shirt and squished all of the wet fabric into a ball. He quickly threw it into the trunk, slammed the top close then slid into the seat next to Sasuke.

"You aren't taking off your pants...?" The raven asked, however, it sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

"Nah, my granny can't drive properly if I'm completely naked," Naruto smirked jokingly as he settled back into the leather seat.

Tsunade didn't even flinch as she set the gear to reverse.

"If you mean I might be blinded then, yes, however, in a loving way? No, I'm not interested in underage, immature kids," Tsunade retorted calmly as she backed the car out of the street.

"I'm an adult, I'm no longer immature," Naruto retorted, his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed childishly in front of his chest.

"Huh, simply a bird learning to fly," the blond woman snorted as she checked her view mirrors for any obstacle. "This is the problem with you young ones, you just turned 18 and thinks you're automatically mature and an adult because you are finally not a minor."

"Well, I'm nineteen, I grew out of that stupid thinking," Naruto retorted, obviously refusing to back down.

"It was only a few months ago that you turned nineteen, kiddo," Tsunade scoffed, her hands on the gear shift as she stepped on the gas pedal. Hard.

Naruto swore he saw red as both him and Sasuke clutched onto anything stable enough to ensure their survival rate. When they neared a crowded street, Tsunade finally eased up on her driving. Naruto swallowed a knot that he didn't realize was stuck in his throat. He released his grip on the chair headrest, his fingers leaving prints on the leather material. Had his nails been longer, it would've left ten holes on the seat. And Tsunade would also kill him...that is..if he survive this car ride. He relaxed a bit and glanced over to Sasuke. The boy had, at some point, managed to click on his seatbelts and sitting there, expression bored as always. If Naruto didn't know better, he would've said Sasuke weren't perturbed by the whole ride. However, the tight grip those pale fingers have around the webbing of the seatbelt gave away his nervousness. Naruto resisted a smirk that played on his mouth. His eyes peeked at the thumb that was smeared with blood earlier...only to find it squeaky, pale clean. Sighing in both relief and disappointment, Naruto let himself sunk into the comfy leather seat. He never noticed how exhausted he was until now, how odd..he had a great sleep yesterday yet all the bones in his body is more than ready to give out. He bent his head back and stretched his tired limbs. He lazily turned back toward the raven and their eyes quickly caught one another. There was a moment of silent because neither refused to be the one to speak up first. Actually, Naruto was too tired to act, his eyes were droopy and fuzzy as he makes out the expressions on the littlest boy's face.

Tsunade glanced up at the rear-view mirror when she felt the atmosphere in the car change. She caught the two male competing in a staring contest and it seems neither was ready to give up. Shaking her head in an adult manner, she focused back on the road to avoid running over pedestrians.

When it was clear Sasuke wasn't going to say anything, Naruto closed his eyes and faced forward sluggishly. He didn't want to know where this ride destination is or how long it'll take. He just wanted it to last forever...so he can get a good nap. His thoughts clouded his brain, making him unaware of a hand reaching toward him.

Sasuke slid his hand behind Naruto's head and lacing nimble fingers deep into soft, blond locks. Dark, obsidian eyes never left Naruto's face as he gripped a bundle of golden hair in his tiny hand, causing the blond to leaned down slightly. He watched the older man's mouth open in a gasping motion but no sound came out. Blue iris darkens a shade as it drifted slowly up to the corner of the blond's eyes.

"Sleepy?" Sasuke asked, tilting his head slightly to match Naruto's. His clutch on the golden locks deepens with possessiveness instead of loosening.

Naruto tensed as he felt Sasuke clenched his hair harder. His eyes lurked toward Tsunade, but she was 100% focused on the road. He sighed and relaxed the muscle on his face.

"Yes, very tired," Naruto confirmed, his eyes challenging the little boy staring down at him.

Sasuke considered the blond's answer, the corner of his mouth twitching up. His strict, midnight eyes soften as he releases the grip on Naruto's hair. However, his hand lingered where it was, not complete letting go.

"You can lean on me," the raven suggested as he guided Naruto's head to his pale shoulder. Sasuke threaded his fingers deeply into auriferous hair as if exploring every part and secrets it held. His fingers every so now and then would brush lightly on blond's cheek in a gentle motion.

Naruto was sure that if his eyes can open any wider, his eyeballs would fall out. He doesn't remember Uchihas having the ability to be this...affectionate..especially the male ones. Except for Mikoto but she was an exception. But then again...Sasuke was raised without a strict father...maybe that helped somewhat. Naruto didn't have the energy to think further. His mind and body wanted nothing more than to sink into this wonderful pillow. Drowning in an ocean seems bad...but he doesn't mind it being a river of sweets and warmth. He leaned in closer and completely immerse himself in boy's hold. His eyes drooped lower and lower as he allows Sasuke to baby and spoiled him rotten.

For once, Naruto didn't feel the world was amiss.

He didn't feel like a deer with two legs and Sasuke wasn't an angel with sharp claws..No...

He was a human with four limbs..and Sasuke...

Sasuke was a demon with loving fingers.

••••••••••••••••

 **A/N:**

I wonder if I give you guys enough clues...to..Naruto's state of mind...there was a lot of ocean and drowning and such analogies used to show his feelings because I think it's perfect for their situations. *evil laugh*

I know update are so slow turtles are faster buuutttt, I wanted this story to have quality over quantity. :D

Merry Christmas, or x-mas..or Happy Hanukah and birthdays and whatever you guys do! This is probably the last time I'm celebrating Christmas..it could be your last time so enjoy it while you can ＾∪＾

December 21, 2015 00:17


	3. Chapter 3: Ashes

February 20, 2016 2:03am

 **Schizophrenia**

Goodness, it's been a year since I updated. (because, you know, beginning of 2016 and end of 2015 - okay, I'll shut up, that joke don't work anymore)

 **Warning:** bad words, confusing hints, you get a cookie of sugary smartness and applause if you can figure out Naruto's and Sasuke's..secrets? Plot? Something along the line.

YugiKitten: You're observant, I'm watching out for you lol. You're not quite far from wrong but at same the time, pretty near the almost right, however not close enough to be correct. :P

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

 **Chapter 3** **: Ashes**

 _A campfire._

 _Fishermen._

 _Dancing_.

Naruto's eyes shot opened in alert and panic. What a nightmare he had, the dancing was hideously amateurish.

The blond was greeted with nothingness and unfamiliarity. It was dark and his vision refused to acknowledge the surroundings. The blond was laying flat on his back, the surface cold yet comfortable. He briefly wondered how long of a nap he took for it to be so dark already. Tan hands shakily shuffled around and patting everything, anything. Light. Sight. He needed them. Bad.

Naruto swung his feet over, he winced as the delicate, scratched up skin of his soles touched some sort of rough carpet. Ignoring the pain, the blond abruptly stood up, the top of his head crushing against a roof.

"Oww!" Naruto cried in agony. Grabbing his head, he curled painfully into a ball on the slightly cold floor.

 _Right, a car_.

He's in a car. Life sucks so much he couldn't even cry about it.

There was a sound as the door next to the blond's head opened. The noise went totally unnoticed by Naruto, who was too busy dealing with his head injury. The only indication he got was the brilliant light invading the car's darkness.

"I left you for one minute and this happened," a toneless voice sighed, irritation could almost be heard if listened closely.

Blue eyes quickly directed up to the new voice. There stood the little Uchiha boy glaring down at the blond, one hand holding onto the door with a bag and the other holding a bowl. And from the smell, shape, and sight of chopsticks poking out of it. Naruto couldn't be mistaken.

"You came with ramen?" The blond asked in a hurried tone. His saliva almost dripping from the thought of eating every single strand of noodles there is.

Sasuke simply nodded and handed the bowl to Naruto who was now getting up, his hands out and waiting. He took it without a hint of hesitation and within seconds, managed to sit himself down and wasted no time slurping the food.

The raven silently slid into the seat next to the blond and pressed the light button on the car's ceiling before slamming the door shut. Sasuke dropped the plastic bag on the empty spot in between them without sparing it a glance.

Naruto gave the bag a questioning stare yet didn't bother stopping with his meal.

"Clothes. Change into it when you're done," Sasuke answered ahead, not at all fazed by the weird eating habit of the man next to him. But the fact that he kept his gaze elsewhere meant he was somewhat disturbed.

Naruto nodded despite the raven looking the other direction. He suddenly spotted something colorful inside the bag and his hands automatically reached for it. A cube was pulled out with random squares of all color decorating the exterior.

"A Rubik's cube?" Naruto asked oddly and eyeing the object carefully. How long has it been since he last touched something this intelligent and...toy-ish? The blond generally avoid complicated puzzles because he ended up not having the time and brain to finish it anyway, so why bother?

Sasuke looked over to the cube then stared up at Naruto.

"Ever solved one?" The little boy asked as he slipped the cube out of slender, tan fingers.

"Nah, my attention span is too low," Naruto replied casually and went back to his food, "you?"

Sasuke shrugged. How did Naruto manage to land a job as psychiatrist makes Sasuke doubt the testing system of this world. His attention directed back to the colorful cube in his hand. Six side. Six colors. Three square horizontally and vertically. Nine on each face. Fifty-four.

"Never bothered with it," Sasuke mumbled thoughtfully, his fingers already turning and testing the cube. It haven't even a been full minute before the little boy handed the unsolved cube back to the blond with a blank face.

Naruto took it with a chuckle. He wanted to ruffle the raven's head and tell him no one gets it right the first time but his hands were full. Naruto remember his first encounter with this puzzle, a boy had brought it to school and let everyone tried it. And as result, everyone failed miserably, he was sure it lowered his confidence by a notch or two.

"Bottom right, left up," Sasuke said, and pointing toward the last row.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, with slight confusion and curiosity.

"Twist it," Sasuke ordered.

Nodding, Naruto moved his fingers.

The little boy almost face palm himself when the blond turned the bottom to the _left_ and stared back at him with a _and-then-what_ look.

"I said _right_ , Uzumaki," the raven repeated in annoyance as he directed tan fingers to rotate the other way.

"Woops, never was a good listener at school," Naruto chuckled while allowing Sasuke to freely move his fingers.

"And rotate the left column up," the raven said.

Naruto followed as instructed and looked over to the boy with an eyebrow raised.

"Congratulations, you solved your first puzzle," Sasuke said in monotone as he leaned back on his seat.

Naruto stared dumbfounded at the boy...and then back to the cube, then back to the boy and then back to the cube. Then up to the rear mirror to look at himself.

 _Am I perhaps...a genius?_

"Hurry and change before the lady back," Sasuke scowled and threw the white, plastic bag at the proud expression the blond was making.

"Geeze, okay, _mom_ ," Naruto retorted, catching the bag as it fell off his face and almost into the bowl of finished ramen.

Naruto put the empty bowl down and began digging through the fabrics inside the plastic bag.

 _Flip flops..and-_

He pulled out a fuzzy, long sleeve sweatshirt and immediately held back a frown. His hands shook as he rotated the shirt around. A drawing of a baby hedgehog curled up on a pillow with the words _Pet Me_ printed on top of it.

"Who...chose this..?" Naruto murmured darkly, his eyes slightly covered by the golden bangs.

"You dislike it?" Sasuke asked, his elbow leaning casually on the ledge of the car's window.

Naruto glared over and no further words were needed to explain his feelings.

"She chose it," the raven said and turn away to look out of the window. Something told Naruto the kid was lying but he let it slide. For now.

The blond grimaced as he glance back at the shirt.

 _Well...beggars can't be choosers_.

•••

Tsunade grabbed her keys and a bunch of files before heading out of the house. The automatic door clicked shut and the soft sound of it locking could be heard as she made her way to the driveway. She spotted the two boys in the back of her car, both fully dressed and focused on the Rubik's cube. She briefly wondered how Sasuke had found dry clothes that fit his size in _her_ house but decided that question isn't important at the moment.

Tsunade quickly opened the door and threw the papers on the passenger seat as she sat herself behind the wheel comfortably. Pulling on her seatbelts and hurriedly shoving the car's key into the hole. The engine exploded into life and in a flash, they were backed out of the driveway and into the dark street.

"Exactly how long was I napping for?" Naruto gritted his teeth as his boss pressed harder on the accelerator pedal.

"From when you got in the car up to now," Tsunade replied, her focus acutely on the road.

"No _shit_ , Sherlock," the blond scowled back.

"That expression is illogical because Sherlock actually solve pretty unobvious case," Tsunade fought back and keeping her temper in check.

"10 hours and 9 minutes," Sasuke finally spoke, feeling tired just from hearing the two blonds bickered.

There was a moment of silent as both adults breathe in the raven's words.

Naruto "secretly" stole a glance at Sasuke's wrist, looking for a watch of some sort. None. Just pale, baby skin with not even a blemish visible on the surface.

"Sasuke," Naruto inquired skeptically. "Did...you keep count of the time while I slept?"

Sasuke turned to look at the blond.

"Why would I? You simply fell asleep at 7:24 and woke up just now, do the math," the raven pointed it out as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's been years since I've touch a devil named _'math'_ , been there, done that, and not coming back," Naruto retorted, huffing and puffing his chest and crossing his arms.

"You don't need to come back because you never left to begin with, tch, once a child stays a child," Sasuke shot back, his eyes quickly adverting to the window.

Naruto gasped. That comeback was so overwhelming, it left his mouth gaping for who knows how long.

Tsunade wanted to cry. Everytime Naruto interacted with a child younger than he is, she wanted to collapse on a bed and bawl out her eyes at how horrible he is at getting along with a kid. She seen serial killers done it better.

The rest of the car ride was continued in silent, not even an occasional cough or breathing. If it weren't for the heavy atmosphere, one can easily mistake it for outer space.

• • •• ••• ••*•• ••• •• • •

 _Ding dong_.

Kakashi head slowly perked up from his papers and turned toward the front door. He was sitting on the living room's sofa, his leg crossed in an elegant manner but the messes of files on the table says so otherwise. He took his time to gather the papers into a _neat_ pile in the corner of the table. With a lazy sigh, he made his way toward the door. His...guests came earlier than expected.

He pulled the mahogany wooden door open, only to meet the unexpected.

"Good day," Shikamaru greeted, bowing in a lazy fashion even Kakashi himself can't beat. The older man's eyes lurked toward the briefcase secured in the brunet's hand then back up to the man's face.

"What brings you here Shikamaru?" Kakashi inquired quite curiously and stepping out of the way for the younger man. He watched as the brunet took off his shoes and put it next to the welcome mat without a word.

"Business," Shikamaru simply said and made his way to the gray, linen sofa, showing mild interest in the huge pile of papers on the table.

" _Noooo_ , I thought you came to share a hearty dinner," Kakashi grumbled sarcastically to himself as he pushed the door shut.

"Dinner sounds good, not sure I'd stay for the hearty part though," Shikamaru nodded casually as he fell on the sofa as if he owned the place. His eyebrows arch curiously toward the pile of files on glass table.

"I'm sure you heard of Uchiha Mikoto's death this morning," Kakashi mentioned, satisfying the younger man's curiosity as he plopped down on the sofa opposite of the brunet.

"I was one of the firsts," Shikamaru confirmed. He knew for a long time that Kakashi was the Uchiha family's lawyer. It must be troublesome to be a lawyer of a prestigious yet unfortunate crowd of people.

"Then you surely know their youngest child is still alive and kicking," Kakashi mumbled.

"It's always the worst one that survive, am I right?" Shikamaru snickered and the older man snorted approvingly. The brunet's dad and Kakashi used to worked together in the past on the murder of Itachi and Fugaku Uchiha. Shikamaru usually tagged along to help since he was going to be in his father's line of work and let's just say they became _friends_. When he hit the 18 age mark, his friends and family went out to feast and Kakashi tagged along just for the fun of it. Surprisingly, they both hold their liquor quite well and ever since then, they became drinking buddies. When the older man gets drunk, he would complain about the little raven haired boy, like how the kid was creepy and heartless and smart as fuck. Shikamaru never talked to Sasuke however, thanks to his buddy over there, he knew everything there is to know about the boy.

"He called me at freaking five fifty-seven o'clock in the morning and the first thing he said wasn't even a greeting, it was _'get the papers ready'_ , can you believe him? What happened to human emotions called crying? Was the kid born without tear ducts or something?" Kakashi grumbled while shaking his head.

The brunet held back a laugh, sometimes he felt pity for the older man. He seemed to care about Sasuke a lot, like a father, and he was greeted by a brick wall with ice glazed over the surface. Shikamaru was snickering when he suddenly stopped. Something clicked in his head but it wasn't in the right place. Something was wrong. _What was it?_ He just had... _Wait a minute...fi-_

The wheels in his head was abruptly halted by the sound of the doorbell ringing throughout the house and immediately followed by impatient knocking and yelling.

"Looks like my _real_ guests are here," Kakashi said, dark aura flowed out of his body as if preparing him for a battle with an opponent just as frightening and strong.

••••••••••••*••••••••••••

"I don't like the look of this place," Naruto said skeptically as he followed after his boss and Sasuke. He was slightly nervous and fidgeting nonstop. He didn't even dare to go up to the front steps. The door opened as Tsunade attacked it, revealing a man he couldn't fully see. Which made his anxiety worsen.

"This is digging up bad memories," Naruto whimpered silently to himself and grabbing the hem of his sweater. Sasuke turned around, his dark eyes wasted no time to pinpoint the quivering blond. It wasn't the " _I'm scare_ " type of trembling, he seemed like a vibrating computer that malfunctioned and was seconds away from exploding.

"What is it now?" Naruto caught the boy staring and scowled while gritting his teeth together. He didn't need the damn Uchiha adding more stress to his life at the moment.

Seeing Naruto's expression change, Sasuke tilted his ahead to the side and continued his unblinking watch. As if he was waiting for a miracle, anticipating. After a few uncomfortable seconds for the blond, Sasuke stepped down from the front step and slandered toward Naruto, his dark eyes never leaving the other. The raven stood in front of him and slowly, he slipped his hand into sweaty tan ones and gave it an assuring squeeze. Sasuke held the blond's hand and led him toward the door.

Kakashi, being old and all, had seen _many_ things in life, but none as gruesome as this. He wanted to rip his eyes out and placed it inside a diamond coffin and bury it deep in the soil. He hoped it can find its way to heaven after seeing hell. Kakashi just couldn't believe it, the one and only Uchiha Sasuke holding a human's hand. **A human's**. When did Earth orbit the sun in square patterns? Since when did flying monkeys exist? When did an Uchiha _ever_ acted affectionate?

"Tsunade, I'm going crazy and am seeing things," Kakashi murmured, his eye wide and staring as the two younger kids walked up the front step, hand in hand.

"I _said_ you were insane long ago but you didn't believe me," Tsunade reminded as she pushed the silver haired man aside and walked into the spacious house. The two boys following right behind her.

Just as Naruto was slipping off his slippers, he noticed a familiar pair of dress shoes placed not so neatly on the side of the welcome mat. He assumed this person didn't even bother with his manners and just flung off his shoes.

"Wait, aren't these Shikamaru's shoes size? Is he-" Naruto beamed as he examined the dress shoes closely.

"Hey," Shikamaru greeted from the sofa, too lazy to get up.

Naruto brighten and ran to his friend. It felt like an awfully long time since they last met despite it being a week ago.

"What are you doing here? I thought you got work," Naruto chattered as he fell down on the seat next to his friend.

"I am working," Shikamaru justified, his eyes lurking secretly toward the raven kid standing at the doorway. Their eyes briefly met and he swore he caught a glimpse of fire in those orbs but the blond unknowingly cut their contact.

"This is working? Your socks thrown aside and your tie loosen?" Naruto pointed out, his eyebrow arching toward the lonely, black sock lying on the marble floor a few feet away.

"Habit, whenever I sit on a soft, high quality chair...it happens," Shikamaru shrugged, he seriously had no idea when it came off his feet.

"I'm not so sure about that...my sofa is crap and your socks and tie _magically_ disappear without you even touching it," Naruto said, sarcasm dripping like a rapid waterfall.

"Who's that kid over there?" Shikamaru asked, choosing to ignore Naruto's earlier comment and jerked his head toward the boy talking to Kakashi. He asked despite having a pretty good idea who it was, the raven hair poking out the back of his head, the dark, deadly eyes, pale complexion. Everything matches Kakashi's description so dead-on it almost hurt.

There was a pause as Naruto turned and observed the raven. His eyebrows tighten a bit as a thought raced through his mind.

"Uchiha Sasuke, son of the woman who died this morning," the blond replied, keeping his eyes locked on the little boy as the kid walked toward them.

Shikamaru gave the his friend a worry glance. He was a bit taken back when Naruto talked without a single tear or croak, as if the incident didn't _just_ occur this morning. He didn't have time to dwell on the subject when other problems are coming straight his way.

Sasuke walked up to the two and stood in front of the brunet and looked down at him. He stuck out his hand, and Shikamaru, without hesitation, shook it.

"Nara Shikamaru," the raven said in such a bored voice that even the brunet can't beat. Shikamaru can only raise an eyebrow. _Isn't it the other way around? Wasn't he supposed to introduce his own name?_

"Uchiha Sasuke," the brunet nodded, playing along with the younger boy's greeting style. There was a moment of tense silent as they analyze the other.

Sasuke pulled away when the handshake seemed unnecessary long. He ran his pale hand along the fabric of his pants, wiping away the sweat the older man left.

The action didn't go unnoticed by the two older men. Shikamaru balled up his trembling fist, he never sweat. Not even in the most stressful, wrecking moment of his life. Not when he exercise or do strenuous work, and most definitely not during a handshake. His brown eyes rolled up to meet midnight ones, breath hitching a tent in his throat.

Within seconds, the atmosphere dropped like a rock thrown into the ocean. It sunken so deep, Naruto doubt he can ever succeed in picking it up again.

"Now that you mention it! Why are we here again?" The blond yelled, catching the attention of Tsunade and Kakashi. The two older adults briefly glance at each other, an uneasy feeling passed through them.

"Do you want to hear the bad news first or-" Tsunade began.

"-the worst news first?" Kakashi cut in.

Naruto sat there confused for a moment. That's the same as asking if he'd prefer to get kill or murder. It have the same fucking result, he's ending up in the ground either way.

"Um...shoot me," Naruto shrugged.

"Uh...well...I guess it's best to start hard then fall soft?" Kakashi asked carefully, his eyes flitting to meet Tsunade's.

"Uh...right, Naruto you're adopting Sasuke," Tsunade blurted with little sympathy.

It took the place a split second to drown in complete chaos.

"Me?! Adopt Sasuke?!" Naruto yelled out in shock, his voice going over everyone else.

"How is that the worse news!?" Sasuke retorted after the blond, his little hand smacking the coffee table to draw attention.

"Naruto can't raise kids, he'll kill them!" Shikamaru voice followed the raven's. It seems as though everyone decided to shut up at that moment and heard something not meant to be heard clearly.

"Okay, I phrased that wrong," Shikamaru corrected, raising his hands defensively before anyone decide to jump him. The fact that someone did died this morning made the situation more wrong than it should be. "I'm just saying kids can't raise kids."

"Informing the misinformed," Sasuke scowled as he turned toward the brunet while pointing at Naruto. "There's a 0.000000009% chance of me being killed by a measly blondie over here."

"Yeah! And there's a 90% chance that I might try to kill the raven head over here," Naruto retorted also looking at Shikamaru and pointing to Sasuke.

"Oehhhhkay..." Kakashi clapped his hands loudly to regain order amongst the youngsters.

"Wait! Wait! Tell me the better news first!" Naruto shouted over the Kakashi.

"Better news? I never say there was better news, I said it was _bad_ news compared to _worse_ news," Tsunade corrected, walking to the sofa and situated herself across from the boys.

"I should've known...you fraud," Naruto grumbled, his eyes narrowing into knowing slits. He's been tricked so many times by the same person, yet surprisingly, he never learn his lesson.

"Bad news is, Shikamaru'sHereToInterrogateYouAboutTheDeathOf um.. _her_ so it'll take hours-," Kakashi blurted out.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible," Sasuke cut the older man off as he placed an arm protectively in front of Naruto. "It's not proper to interrogate him without an advance warning and immediately after the incident, it can trigger psychological traumas considering his current state of mind isn't currently functioning properly."

There was a moment of silence as everyone took in what the raven stated. Shikamaru eyeing the boy with a raised eyebrow and an impressed expression.

"The only thing _I_ heard was _'his current state of mind isn't functioning properly_ '," Naruto growled, pulling on the little boy's pale cheek.

"Currently, you forgot currently," Sasuke pointed out and raising a finger to do so.

"You're a decade too early to give me the lecture finger," the blond said and pinching the delicate skin of Sasuke's face.

"He's right," Shikamaru finally spoke up in a lazy voice.

"Me?" Naruto asked, eyes lighting up in surprise.

"No, the kid," the brunet replied a bit too quickly.

"Then it just proves that Sasuke is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and therefore we do not need to worry about him dying under Naruto's care," Kakashi concluded, too happily for Naruto's liking.

"That's also true," Shikamaru nodded approvingly, seeming satisfied with Kakashi's reason.

"Tsunade, what do you say, as a witness?" Kakashi asked, turning to the woman on the sofa.

"Well, where do I sign?" Tsunade said with obvious eagerness. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

 _Too eager_.

"Uh...excuse me, don't I get a say in this?" Naruto broke through the chattering. Scrap that, shouldn't he be the first they consent with this matter? He's not a babysitter for fuck's sake.

"Oh, Naruto, I think your the perfect candidate and you'll do fine," Tsunade waved her hand, diminishing Naruto's dumb worries. And then everyone was talking at once, again. As if they were all a big ass family sitting around for Thanksgiving dinner.

"How? Do you remember what happen when I took that baby home and return it to school with a severed head?!" The blond practically screamed out his frustrations because it seems no one is giving a crap about what he's saying. Well... _now_ everyone was listening to everything he's saying. It's always like that. People only hear the weird part of a conversation. Like _dick_ or _Asians_ or something. They **only** hear those parts.

"And not to mentioned, you also brought my $800, back to school," Tsunade scowled.

"Wait, you..killed a bab-" Kakashi asked skeptically.

"No!" Naruto denied quickly.

"He dropped a mechanical baby for a school project and the head accidentally broke off," Sasuke sighed into his hand but it came out as a low grumble.

"Yeah-," Naruto started but stop, after a few processing seconds, he glanced over to the boy next to him. The young Uchiha looked comfortable resting his chin on his palm. Naruto narrowed his eyes for the millionth time today.

 _Too comfortable_.

"How'd you know about that baby incident?" Naruto asked, voice dripping with suspicion and curiosity.

"Small town, big mouths and curious ears," the raven said simply and no further words were needed for everyone to understand. It's something they all have to admit, the smaller the box, the faster the disease spread.

"Haha, I like this kid, can I adopt him instead?" Shikamaru chuckled.

"No!" Everyone immediately shouted in protest, everyone but Naruto.

"Sounds good, Shikamaru can handle the responsib-" Naruto reasoned.

"A joke. It was a joke, Uzumaki," Shikamaru said, the thought of actually having Sasuke as his adopted son somehow scare him shitless. And Shikamaru, having been in this crime business for awhile, never gets scare shitless.

"I'm also waiting for someone to tell me it's a joke for me too," Naruto pointed out but the next few seconds was greeted with silence.

"Well that settles it, we'll go to court soon enough, but for now, it's official," Tsunade clapped her hands to signal the finalizations of the meeting.

"What? That can't be, I didn't sign any paper-" Naruto complained but was casually cut off. Again.

"No worries, as your guardian, I already signed the necessary papers with your signature beforehand," Tsunade reassured, flashing a thumbs up toward the tan blond. Who in turn, could only stare back dumbfounded.

"Is this even legal?" Naruto gawked, turning to Sasuke for some sort of answer.

"I'm a minor, I have no rights to say anything," the raven shrugged.

"Are you kidding me?! This cannot be legal, Shikamaru!" Naruto turned helplessly toward his long term friend. Well, it's about to be long term _ex_ -friend.

"Don't ask me, I'm a policeman, not a lawyer," Shikamaru said, looking away.

Long term ex-friend it is, then.

The blond could only look toward the silver haired man with puppy eyes and twinkling stars of tears.

"What?" Kakashi asked warily.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're a lawyer of justice?!" Naruto poured out his frustrations.

"Who said it was for justice? I didn't see anything," Kakashi concluded, adverting his eyes.

"Fine, Naruto Uzumaki with an 8 year-old son at the age of nineteenth, nothing suspicious about that," Naruto said, leaning back into the sofa with an I'm-done-with-life face.

"Actually, he's 10," Kakashi pointed it out with his index finger up.

"And actually it wouldn't be suspicious because you guys looks nothing alike so people can guess you didn't make a girl pregnant at age 9," Shikamaru added quickly.

"Shut it Marcus Junius Brutus! You freaking traitor!" Naruto exploded, his expression ready to kill any moving objects.

"Oh, it's _that_ time of the month," Kakashi said in a small voice as he made an effort to sit on the sofa and his eyes doing a little roll.

"Sasuke, your first mission as my adopted child, get me a baseball bat," Naruto said in a monotone voice.

"Let me do the dirty work, I'm a minor, I won't be convicted," Sasuke said with a serious tone as he pulled out a baseball bat from underneath the couch.

"Actually, you _will_ be convicted for murder, minor or not," Kakashi said, risking his life on a fine thread line.

"All my years of visiting here and I never knew you had a baseball bat hidden under your couch," Shikamaru spoke out, watching the group from a safe distance away.

"I've forgotten about it, usually I sit over there and my guests sits here, in case anyone got annoying I pull it out," Kakashi explained with a face too happy to be aware of his nearing death. The moment was broken when a song suddenly play in the background.

 _I wanna be, the very best, like no one eve-_

"Hello?" Shikamaru answered into his phone and stopping the ridiculous ringtone. His face straight as he listened to the hushed voice on the other side.

Kakashi and Naruto knew the meaning of that ringtone. Sure it's the Pokemon theme song but it also meant another thing, emergency call from the police.

For once in Naruto's life, he saw a confused expression on his brunet friend's face. Shikamaru glanced over to the blond for a brief moment before cutting off the call with an "I'll be there in a minute."

"What's going on?" Naruto asked in a worried voice, not liking the glance Shikamaru gave him a moment ago.

"They found a dead body in the alleyway. Murdered," Shikamaru said quickly as he gathered his suitcase and missing socks. Everyone sat in shock at the announcement.

"It...rained last night," Tsunade realized quietly, "I've completely forgotten about it due to Mikoto's-"

"Excuse me," Sasuke cut Tsunade off firmly and gave her a warning glare. His hand slid up the blond's back and squeezing the tan shoulders reassuringly.

Naruto was having a mental breakdown, but only fear was written on his face. It made no sense to him, how could it be? It didn't connect. There was a mistake, an error in the universe and Naruto have no idea where the root is.

The raven glanced at the blond, whose face was buried into his hands.

Sasuke sent a dagger glare and a scowl at the two older adults as if saying, "Look at what you've done."

"I gotta run," Shikamaru said as he rushed toward the door, already slipping on his shoes. And totally unaware of Naruto's condition.

With that, the door slammed shut and an engine starting could be heard from outside. The screeching sound of tires quickly backing out of the driveway, leaving dust behind its tracks.

"Wait, was that my car he just fucking hijacked?!" Kakashi panicked, realizing he didn't see Shikamaru came with a car earlier. He ran to the door like his life depended on it.

"Is this guy really a police?!" They heard Kakashi scream echoed as he ran out to the driveway.

Completely ignoring the older man, Sasuke turned sharply toward the blond lady still sitting on the couch.

"Can we go back to Naruto's apartment? Now?" Sasuke demanded rather than asking, his arm already wrapped around Naruto's trembling shoulders.

"Y-Yeah," Tsunade said quickly and getting up to grab her keys.

"Naruto, get up," the raven said while half pulling the blond.

"Right, up," Naruto repeated as Sasuke pulled him by the hands toward the door. Kakashi sent the three guests a curious glance as they scrambled hurry across the driveway. Tsunade gave him a knowing eye before opening the door for the two boys.

"Bottom, left," Naruto continued muttering under his breath as he allowed the younger boy to pushed him into the car. Nothing entered his mind but those four words he repeated over and over in such a low voice, no one could possibly ever dream of hearing.

••••••••••••••••••••

The car stops in front of a tall building. Tsunade was about to open her door when a small, pale hand grabbed her wrist from behind. She glanced back and spotted Sasuke with his backpack on, already prepared to go.

"No need," Sasuke said, his grip loosening as he reach to open his own door. He wasted no time tugging Naruto out with him. He let the blond wrap an arm around his neck as a support but the raven was a tad too short to be much help. Sasuke's own pale hand on the Naruto's waist to steady them both.

"Uchiha," Tsunade called out as she rolled down her window and watched the two with worry eyes.

Sasuke turned around, waiting patiently for the blond lady to continue.

"Do you know his pass code?" Tsunade said, her hand lingering on the car's door handle.

"Yeah, it's _us_ ," the raven said without hesitation and just like that, the two boy struggled into the apartment building.

Tsunade had no idea what that meant, not even a hint or clue as what it meant. She assumed he knows the code but she stayed in the parking lot just in case the little boy decided to come back and ask. In case it happens. Just in case.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

 _1733_

With a click, the door unlocked and the two shuffled in. Naruto was still dazed from the news, his mind was that of a drunken man, or possibly worse.

"Take off your slippers," Sasuke ordered but the blond made no move as if nothing were heard through his deaf ears. Sighing, Sasuke released his grip on Naruto's side to allow the older man to sit on the ground. The raven then proceeded to take off each of Naruto's slippers with careful fingers.

"Right...up...bottom...left...right...up, bottom left," the blond continued to muttered under his breath. No one could hear him...but Sasuke heard it. He heard it ever since. But it's alright. It's fine.

"Something's wrong, Sasuke," Naruto said, his eyes glassy as it trained on dark, midnight hair. The raven looked up and held Naruto's gaze with his. A daring glint played in his Uchiha's eyes as his hand moved up to brush lightly on tan cheeks.

Naruto's breath hitched for a second before he brought his own finger up to point at the younger male hesitantly.

"You," the blond said plainly, pointing at Sasuke.

A smirked played on the little boy's lips as he took off his own shoes.

"Yeah, me," Sasuke nodded, eyes soft yet dangerous like its ready to end the world with a blink.

"You're a mistake," Naruto laughed, throwing his head back as he grabbed his bubbling stomach.

"Uchiha Sasuke is a mistake!" Naruto continued to cackl and falling on his back due to extreme laughter.

Sasuke stare and stare and stare with a blank expression.

"Yeah, I'm the mistake," the raven said, a sincere smile gracing his lips and his eyes knowing.

•••••••••••••

Getting Naruto into the house was one thing but getting him into bed was a whole different subject. The 'adult' refused to stay still and Sasuke was tempted to tie him down with the scarves laying around. He glanced down at the sleeping blond from beside the bed. The raven's expression blank as he studied Naruto sleeping peacefully in his habitat. Dark, obsidian eyes roved to the locked window, the moon invisible and the sky unmoving and clear. The aftermath of a rainstorm, beautiful and silent.

Sasuke, without warning, kneeled down on the floor. His little hands reaching beneath the bed and pulling out a box with the utmost care.

A small, simple, wooden box. He unzipped his backpack and pulled out an object. Carefully and with preciseness, Sasuke placed the object into the box. Before closing the wooden top, his hands moved and grabbed a single picture in it. He shoved the box deeply back under the bed with the picture still gripped loosely in his hand.

"Dream of beautiful stars," Sasuke said in a soft voice as he closed the door, leaving a sliver of it open to let light from the living room to pool in.

••••••••••••

Confused, blue eyes stared ahead without so much of a blink. A burning smell reached him immediately. It wasn't just any burning smell. Something else was burning. Something important. A _body_ was burning. It was faint yet his nose picked it up in seconds. It smelled different from how _normal_ things burn. His back was turned but he felt the heat of the fire, it was burning with life and experience. He spotted a shadow on the ground from the corner of his eye. A little boy with a hairstyle he was too familiar with. Naruto wanted to scream, to tell the boy to stop adding wood to the fire, to stop burning it. But his mouth couldn't open, couldn't speak.. couldn't move. Naruto himself, couldn't even twitch a finger. But a name imprinted itself on his mind.

 _Zetsu. Who is Zetsu?_

The blond had no idea who that was but it smelled like Zetsu. It's similar to seeing someone and thinking their name is Bob or such. In this case...it smelled like Zetsu. Like a burning Zetsu.

"Naruto." A soothing voice called so softly that the blond was so tempted to reach out and drink it up.

"Naruto," the voice said a bit rougher and Naruto hummed happily at it.

"Get up!" The voice yelled and Naruto felt the pillow next him being smacked. The blond wasted no time scrambling away from the sudden loud noise and pulling the blanket close to his chest for protection.

Dazzling ocean eyes took in the appearance of the raven haired boy in front of him.

Sasuke had a mini, mint colored apron tied around his waist and neck. He was holding the spatula like a warrior ready to fight a victorious battle he knew was coming. The arrogance was practically oozing out of the boy and Naruto couldn't stop from cracking up.

"W-What are you doing?" Naruto laughed, his lungs struggling to breathe. But the early morning sunlight hitting his back felt nice and relaxing.

"Since I'm here, I might as well cook breakfast for us both," Sasuke said, his eyes trained on the way Naruto toppled over from excessive laughter.

"Oh, you're cooking breakfast," Naruto wheezed, little laughs bubbling put of him every now and then.

" _No_ , I'm cooking _dinner,_ of course it's breakfast!" Sasuke said with sarcasm dripping off his tongue. "Get out of bed!"

"Alright, okay, _mom_ ," Naruto grumbled, rolling his eyes slightly at the bossy little kid standing in front of him.

"I do not want to be your mom," Sasuke said in disgust as he pushed the blond hurriedly out of the door.

"Yeah, yea-" Naruto waved off the raven casually but stopped as something strange hit him. He froze midway and felt the little boy stopped before they could collide.

"What's that burnt smell?" Naruto asked, eyes wide and dilated as his nose try to pin point the source of the smell. When his answer was met with silence, he immediately turned toward the boy behind him.

Sasuke was staring with a blank expression...bordering sleepy even.

"Sasuke, what is that burnt smell?" Naruto asked once again, voice flying with wariness.

"You were screaming for me to stop burning it," the raven said in a plain tone, his head tilted to the side in curiosity. Feign curiosity. "So I ran to you, and left the egg, and it's probably burnt by now."

 _Feign. Feign. Feign._

"Oh..." was all Naruto could managed as he studied the little boy dumbly.

"Aren't you a bit...too..young to cook?" Naruto asked, slightly worried about his kitchen and future.

"We all start somewhere don't we?" Sasuke said in a bored manner as he sidestep around the blond and made his way into the kitchen.

"I...um...need to use the bathroom real quick," Naruto called out and the raven simply flicked his hand in the blond's direction. A sign of acknowledgement.

•••••••

"You're not eating?" Naruto asked curiously as he settle down on his chair across from the little raven. Sasuke only had a simple, white mug placed neatly in front of him. The blond never knew he had cup mats in this apartment. All his 19 years alive, he never knew.

"Already ate, you woke up a bit late," Sasuke muttered, his eyes flickering toward the clock on the wall. Naruto automatically reacted and followed the gesture.

09:34. That's not even near late according to Naruto's schedule. On off days, he would laze in bed and do nothing productive until afternoon. Afternoon is his sunrise.

"Wh..at..time did you get up at?" Naruto asked sheepishly.

Sasuke paused as if thinking back.

"Around five," the Uchiha said, his hand lifting up the cup to take a sip.

Naruto choked his food, it was so much at once he felt as if it might explode. Then he remembered how the Uchiha household used to always wake up at the craziest time and finally managed to swallow the food in his mouth. What surprised him more was not even a sound was heard despite him sleeping and Sasuke cooking.

"Not many say I'm a deep sleeper," Naruto mentioned, drinking from his own cup of water.

"I never say you are one either," Sasuke corrected, his hand playing with the mug's handle. "I have the decency to keep the volume to mute because I found that...waking a beast from its slumber is quite regretful."

"Oh," Naruto said, raising his eyebrows in fascination. He forget sometimes that Sasuke was raised in a prestigious household. The boy was rich in every aspect so there's no reason for his manners to be poor. Deciding the subject of Sasuke waking up early no longer needed to be discussed, the blond changed the subject.

"So how much do you know to cook?" Naruto asked as he took a bite of the sunny side up eggs along with the sausage. It was perfect. Fucking perfect flavor mixture and savoring.

"Just the basics," Sasuke shrugged and taking a drink out of his cup, it looks suspiciously like tea.

"As in...?" Naruto stressed, waiting for the raven to answered more specifically.

"As in more than you do, considering half of the things in this house is expired, these sausages barely have a month left in them, 7/8 of your fridge is currently harboring a home in the trash can outside because its contents are humanly inedible," Sasuke sighed as he set his cup down, making sure it's placed properly on the center of the circle, heat-resistant mat.

"Oh," Naruto breathed and sullenly returned to his food. He's been saying 'oh' a lot lately. Not something he'd prefer because it's too short and boring. 'Oh yeah!' or 'oh right!' sounded wayyy better. And happier.

"...Sorry," Sasuke huffed as Naruto went silent. His dark eyes focusing down at his hand absently playing with the string hanging from the cup.

 _'Yeah, it's definitely tea_ ,' Naruto thought.

"..What did you think it was? Milk?" Sasuke asked as if it's as obvious as the radius of Earth. Apparently Naruto hadn't really said that in his mind.

"I didn't think kids would _like_...tea," Naruto said curiously. In fact, he didn't even know he had tea in this house.

"Not _like_ , it's a habit of me and mothe-" Sasuke started but stopped himself. He wasn't looking at Naruto directly in the eye...but through the reflection on the mug. He paused for a second, too fast to be counted as a second. A millisecond perhaps.

"Your boss called," Sasuke said, quickly changing the subject and bringing the mug up to his lips. Midnight eyes peeking over the rim to watch the blond.

"Yeah? What about it?" Naruto managed to say as he stuffed his mouth with the rest of the food.

"She said you don't have work today," Sasuke informed and once again setting the cup down. His eyes focused on turning the handle strictly to the left at an 180 angle. Something the blond noticed thrice now.

"You're ambidextrous," Naruto announced out of nowhere.

"Hm?" Sasuke hummed with mild interest as he stare up at blue, sky-like eyes. "Am I?"

"You were holding the spatula with your right, and now you're OCD about turning the handle to the left, not to mention you _grab_ the cup with your left, you open doors with your right, but you took the Rubik's Cube from me with your left despite your right hand being closer," Naruto said, lost in his thoughts and memories as he analyzed every movements of the raven he can remember.

"I guess I never really cared to find out," Sasuke shrugged, an eyebrow raised as he watched the screws in Naruto's head works. And it works wonders.

"But you know what they say? Lefties are psychopaths," Naruto mentioned thoughtfully and sending a glance at Sasuke's hand.

"That's just a dumb, popular belief humans like to assume, beside I'm 'ambidextrous' as you mentioned earlier," Sasuke retorted smugly. An arrogant smirk dancing gently on his lips and Naruto wanted to wipe it off so badly it hurts.

"A _belief_ proven over and over again, plus being both handed means you're double the killer," Naruto accused and pointing his fork in the raven's direction.

"A belief is a belief until _scientifically_ explained, beside, aren't _you_ left handed?" Sasuke pointed out. They both engaged in a long staring eye contest.

A grin crept up Naruto's face and his eyes twinkled. As if they're silently exchanging words that themselves probably don't even know.

Sasuke soon followed after, a knowing smirk clearly visible on his expression. They smiled with their eyes telling stories of a thousand years. A secret lingered between the two like remnants of dreams after waking up. It was broken, forgotten but still there.

A ringing noise broke the moment and sent the blond jumping. Naruto quickly scurried for the screeching phone located next to the sofa.

"Hello, how may I help-," Naruto started but stopped himself. Sasuke nearly choked on his drink from the sheer thought of Naruto using his office greetings.

"Fuck, I meant what's up Ino," Naruto corrected. He saw Sasuke's expression darken more than a charcoal at the mention of the name. A bad feeling sent sirens all over his head.

"Oh, you called yesterday?" Naruto chuckled nervously and secretly sending a death glare at the raven.

 _Why didn't you tell me?_

Sasuke, who in turn, was acting like an innocent kitten. The kid is going as far as holding the mug with two hands, pretending to be a child too weak to hold his own cup with one hand. But Naruto knows for a fact that it's the opposite.

"Yeah? It...was probably...um.. I'm guessing Sasuke who answered..." Naruto laughed into the phone, his fingers tapping on the coffee table unconsciously. No _shit_ , Naruto, it was the Pope who answered. He wanted to smqck himself in the face but decided against it.

"Oh he's just shy, _kids_ nowadays, he's not exactly a social butterfly," the blond rambled on.

"What? All he did was breathe?" Naruto asked, almost shocking the mind out of him.

"oh...uh huh, Tsunade? Alright...sure, I got it... Are you sure it's not too early?..." Naruto asked and nodded, and occasionally glanced at the silent boy in the kitchen. "True...that really isn't normal...okay, I will."

Naruto hesitantly pressed the red button despite the other line already cutting off. He turned back to the kitchen, his mouth opening to say something but he was met with an empty chair instead.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked out loud as he placed the phone back on the holder. He turned his back for one second and the kid disappeared like a shadow at night.

"Sasuke! Come out you little _puff ball_!" Naruto yelled slowly as he made his way down the bedrooms' corridor. Tan hand tracing the wall and his feet leading him automatically toward the door across from his room. Before his hands had the chance to knock, the door opened, revealing the little raven. Their eyes met for a split second but no words were passed between the two. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and gave Naruto an up-and-down glance. The blond too, did the same and noticed the raven was all dressed up in a hoodie and shorts, ready to face public execution any day. He looked down at himself, a pair of messy sweatpants and a crinkled white tee-shirt picked up from his room's floor spoke for itself.

Without saying anything, the blond turned around and entered his own room, closing it after himself.

Naruto sighed as he walked toward the closet. Living with Sasuke so far, seems like living with a roommate. It was so much better than he had anticipated...but who is he to talk? It's barely been a day but the idea of breakfast _everyday_ sounds nice. Without much thinking, he slipped off his sweatpants. Only when he picked it up in his hands did Naruto realized it was Itachi's pajamas. He must've slept in them last night. The room dark due to the curtains blocking the sun, making the red marks on the dark fabric barely visible. He ran his nimble fingers over th frozen liquid. With an emotionless face and blank mind, he reached into the pocket of the sweatpants. A picture. A small, low quality picture taken from an old camera that prints out the photos on the spot. Blue eyes stared at the content but nothing ran through his mind. Nothing.

He turned slowly toward the direction of his bed, his gaze trained on dark space underneath bed. A twinkle. A key. _His_ key.

••••••••••••••••

"Done?" Sasuke asked, not looking up from the book he was reading as Naruto closed the bedroom's door.

"...Yeah," Naruto replied, his head down as he focused on the doorknob of his room.

The young Uchiha eyes flickered toward the quiet blond standing by the door. He observed him for a moment and with a small sigh, the book was clapped shut.

"Sasuke," Naruto asked, from the door, his voice quiet but the raven heard it too clearly. Whatever and whenever Naruto talks, Sasuke hears. He _always_ hear.

"What?" the boy asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"...Did you-" Naruto began but stopped himself by biting his lips nervously. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed together as he tilted his head.

"Spill it, Uzumaki," the raven said, eyes unblinking as he stared straight at the blond.

"Feign." Naruto murmured, his eyes unconsciously narrowed at the little boy on the couch. Sasuke sat silently, his eyes carefully observing the blond. That's when he noticed Naruto's index finger tapping the side of his leg in chaotic pattern.

Sasuke immediately stood, his eyes wide in disbelief but immediately turned hard as he approached the blond. As if it's instinct, Naruto hid his hands behind his back like a child caught red-handed.

"Let me see," the raven said, his hand extending expectantly toward Naruto. Midnight eyes dangerously narrowed yet patiently waiting.

The blond shook his head violently and backed away, his hands bumping against the wall. But the little boy was quicker, he was swift to grabbed Naruto's wrist then yanking it out. Tan fingers immediately curled into a fist but it was too late. Too late, everything is always too late. Sasuke _saw_. He _saw_ everything. Naruto is a goner. He's a goner. A goner, a goner-

"Go wash your hands, it's filthy," Sasuke said, releasing Naruto's arm to let it fall back to its original place.

"Huh?" Naruto questioned, slightly taken back by what the kid said.

"We're going to be in public, wiping smudges everywhere isn't ideal," Sasuke waved as he made his way toward the kitchen again.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Naruto said awkwardly as he turned his back to the raven. He finally let out a breath he didn't know was held in his lungs. That's when he spotted the black smudge on the wall where he bumped earlier.

"Shit..." Naruto whispered under his breath as he struggled to quietly wipe the spot. Sasuke was right to some degree Naruto supposed. These stuff really get everywhere from just a simple touch.

•••••••••••••••••

They were walking peacefully to the train station because Sasuke insisted they ride instead of walk. Naruto had complained about kids in this generation being too lazy to use their own two feet, that everyone might as well turn into mermaids and put themself into Ariel's fin to see what they'd give to get humans legs. The raven pointed out that Naruto, himself, haven't even _graduated_ from the _teens_ age yet so he got no right to talk about kids in this generation.

"Yeah? Well you haven't even _enter_ the teen ages so you got even less rights to talk," Naruto retorted as they made their way to the surprisingly crowded station.

"I don't mind, less talking, more thinking," Sasuke shrugged and skillfully avoiding the bodies of people lining up for the train arrival.

"Hold up," Naruto said and grabbing the hood of the raven's jacket and pulling him back. "Come back here."

"What are you doing? We have to get to the front, seats aren't reserved for losers," Sasuke said in monotone as he gave the blond above him a bored look.

"I know, but I don't want you to get lost on the first fucking day of custody," Naruto grumbled and held onto the boy's little hand.

"It's the other way around," Sasuke grumbled but made no move to go anywhere.

When the train _did_ finally arrive, the raven swore he never had so many disgusting...body parts pressed against him. He looked up to see Naruto also struggling to push a pathway for them both.

If the struggle to enter the train was bad, the _standing_ inside the train was hell. Be short they say, it had its perks they say.

Naruto felt his shirt being tugged and he looked down at the boy next to him with a questioning look.

"It smell like sweaty old men down here, pick me up," the raven said, his hands making grabbing motions at the blond.

"What are you? Ten months old?" Naruto said, a weirded out expression covering his face yet he leaned down to pick up the boy anyways.

"No, but _I_ _am_ 10 years-old, plus I'd be dead under your care if I was 10 months old, scrap 10 months, I'll be dead if I let my guard down," Sasuke grumbled as he wrapped his pale arms around the blond's neck and legs straddling Naruto's tummy.

"No arguments available," Naruto said, admitting the truth. The blond wasn't a kid person and honestly, he never wants to be. Living the lonely life for the rest of his years seems merrier than Santa can ever be. He can hear Sasuke's small chuckled next to his ears and the vibrations of the boy's laugh sent chill down the blond's body.

"You know, now that you mentioned it," Naruto suddenly brought up in a low voice that only them two can hear despite compact train car.

"What?" Sasuke replied, his chin still resting on the blond's shoulder in a lazy manner. The resonance in his voice shook Naruto like an earthquake. He was tempted to throw Sasuke across the train car and wondered if he'll smash into little pieces of vibrating speakers that soundlessly sings.

"How'd you figure out my apartment pass code?" Naruto asked casually, a laugh bubbling up at the thought of Sasuke standing there and trying out ten thousands combinations.

Sasuke was silent and it made the blond wondered if his question was going to get an answer at all.

"...Do you want the cute answer or the logical one?" Sasuke said, his voice so low it's almost a whisper.

Naruto's eyes roved toward the boy next to him but all he could see was Sasuke's duck booty hair. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, hesitation coloring his thoughts. Another decision similar to the worse or bad news.

"Is...'both' a possible answer?" Naruto asked carefully, he's not nervous or might slightly be. Just slightly.

"Smart, for once in your life," Sasuke chuckled under his breath, his index finger drawing random shapes on the back of Naruto's shirt.

"It's not random, Uzumaki," Sasuke said as if he could tell what's going on in the blond's head.

"Of course, make life difficult when it doesn't need to be," Naruto sighed and focused on the lines and etches Sasuke's finger was digging into him.

Naruto managed to make it out as letters. The raven repeated again and again until Naruto could comprehend.

"Oh, I'm getting it...oct...October!" Naruto exclaimed a little too loudly but luckily no one cared enough in this already loud space.

"...10?.." The blond guessed. "October 10th, it's my birthda-"

He didn't have time to finish when Sasuke drew the plus sign a little too deep into his back for comfort's sake.

"July...23..." Naruto could barely make out as he squirmed under Sasuke's hard finger. It took him a moment to put two and two together.

"July 23...+ October 10..which is seventeen thirty-three," Naruto said in realization. That is so clever. He never really thought about why those numbers stuck to his mind like rice. Who would've thought the meaning behind his pass code had so much-

"Wait, what's so important about July 2-" Naruto inquired in confusion. He didn't get to finish when Sasuke's thumb dug hard into his shoulder blades.

"The day I was given birth to," Sasuke sighed and patting the spot where he _accidently_ pressed too deeply into Naruto's skin.

"I'm guessing that's the logical answer?" Naruto asked, his eyebrows raised despite knowing Sasuke can't see them anyway.

"No, that was the cute answer," the raven replied, his arms once again snaking possessively around Naruto's neck.

"How...was that cute?...Anything math is logical," the blond grumbled.

"It's just is, but want to hear the real, logical answer?" Sasuke asked sweetly into Naruto's ears. The blond was a bit tempted to reach out and pick the apple off the forbidden tree. He know he can't, too many bad consequences. But he grabbed it anyways, because the snake was offering really nicely.

Naruto slowly not sure whether or not he was ready to taste the fruit.

"1733...as we both know...is also 05:33," Sasuke whispered into his ears and it sent the artic chills down the blond's body.

Naruto eye the fruit and brought it to his mouth, the white teeth sinking into the skin of sin.

"05:33am... was when mother died," Sasuke hissed so wonderfully slowly one might wonder if he spoke or making dreams come true.

Naruto had to admit, the fruit was the most beautiful thing he have ever tasted. He now understood why both Adam and Eve ate it. Sharing a crime felt like a thousand heavens.

••••••••••••

You're probably confused as fk. Because I know I am. Too many deep metaphors and hidden clues in here that even I have trouble deciphering. But, ask away about anything confusing, I can't guarantee answers. It's the story purpose, to fck with the mind's process *evil laugh*

Wondering wtf Zetsu have anything to do with the story? Absolutely nothing. He's a stepping stone.

Marcus Junius Brutus was a trusted friend of Julius Caesar(?) but he stabbed Caesar in the back. Perfect analogy.

March 2, 2016 19:24


	4. Chapter 4: They're Afraid

March 5, 2016 23:17

March 12, 2016 23:51

June 04, 2016 2:01am

 **Schizophrenia**

Warning: blood, dead person (like always), weirdness,

A/N:

...you readers are sharp. I love it lol

Short chapter, I know. I apologize in advance, not for the short chapter, of course. Brace yourselves, Sasuke gets a bit brutal. (No, he'll never hurt Naru)

* * *

 **Chapter 4:** **They're** **Afraid**

"You ready?" Naruto breathed, looking straight at an office door and squeezing the tiny pale hand in his own sweaty ones. It was Sasuke who was doing this yet Naruto was the one feeling nervous beyond possible.

Sasuke simply nodded, gaze also on the door.

Blue eyes lurked down to give the little boy a glance.

"You sure? Ino is savage, no kids ever got out without at least telling her _something_ ," Naruto continued in a hushed voice. And by _'something'_ he meant _'everything'._

"Or so I've heard," Sasuke replied with a flat tone. The blond nodded his head approvingly, satisfied with the answer.

"The worst that could happen," Naruto chuckled and leaning down to whisper into the raven's ear. "You might come out _happy_."

Sasuke smirked, turning so that dark eyes are staring straight into ocean deep ones. Lifeless. Just the bottom of the sea in those blue orbs.

"Don't let _**it**_ slip, Uchiha," Naruto warned soothingly before pulling back and straightening himself once again.

The raven simply nodded, head moving slightly.

"Off you go then," Naruto smiled and patted Sasuke's back, urging the boy toward the door.

•••••••••••••••••••••

Shikamaru twirled around in his office chair, face blank but mind working furiously. On his desk, pictures of Uchiha Mikoto in her deathbed and a suicide note next to it. He checked and checked and checked and couldn't find anything that seems out of place. The handwriting was hers for sure, he went through multiple sources but there's a feeling in his gut that this couldn't be so simple. Why kill herself now out of all times? Why on the day Naruto, her _beloved_ second son, visited? It couldn't have been a coincidence could it? Had Naruto somehow driven her to suicide? Perhaps she was waiting for Naruto? For what? To dump Sasuke on him?

Turning to face his desk again, Shikamaru eyed the handwritten note.

 _Thank you for being alive, please take care of him_.

It didn't even _sound_ like a suicide note, more of a thank you note to grandma for taking care of her grandchild over the summer. Shikamaru sighed for the hundredth time today, and he still hadn't any answers.

The phone rings.

Shikamaru dived for it like that was the last chicken leg on the table.

"Hello? Shino? Did the results come in?" Shikamaru panted, half anxious half excited. This was a first. No one ever sees him like this because nothing ever intrigues him to this extent.

"Yeah, get over here and we'll talk," the other replied flatly.

"I'll be there in five," Shikamaru said quickly, not bothering to say bye as he hung up. He grabbed his coat, scribbled a note for his secretary and was bolting out of the door in seconds.

•••••••••••••••••••••

"So? How are you feeling today?" Ino said with a bubbly tone as they settle down on soft, leather chairs.

"Normal," Sasuke replied simply. They were sitting across from one another, body separated by a mere table, meeting eye to eye.

"As in...? Happy? Sad? Fine?" the blond lady added slowly, nodding her head to emphasize every pointless letters and words that came out of her mouth.

"As in... normal," Sasuke repeated, set on not changing his answer.

"Okay, then…let's get to know each other, hm?" Ino grinned, nerves not twitching and smile never once faltering.

Yamanaka Ino, Sasuke concluded, is a persistent one.

•••••••••••••••••••••

It smelled like hospitals in here, except a bit more humanized and less disinfectant littered the air. It's the city's main department that consists of almost every type of jobs cluttered in one huge building. Of course, the police department gets their own building but this; this Shikamaru will never get used to. He walked toward the elevator, passing the security at the front door with a simple flash of his badge. Just as he got into the elevator, before the metal doors could close completely, a lonely foot stuck itself in between. The elevator opened up again, revealing a face Shikamaru hadn't expected to be able to see today.

"Shikamaru, hi," Naruto greeted with a smile, he was panting a bit as he came to stand next to Shikamaru. Moving too quick for Shikamaru to fully observe him closely.

"Naruto," the brunet nodded back, eyeing Naruto as the man patted dust off his clothes.

"Fell?" Shikamaru asked, looking at the blond through the reflection on the elevator's wall. It wasn't clear, but it was the only thing he could use, staring would be awkward.

"No way, had wrestling match with Kiba," Naruto huffed, fixing his always messy hair. He paused for a moment, staring at himself on the wall but then quickly added, "I won of course."

Shikamaru grunted, a sign he didn't believe Naruto but agreeing just for the sake of it.

"What are you doing in the main building anyways? I thought you have a day off," Shikamaru asked, eyes flitting toward Naruto for a second before drifting off.

"We do, I came to see Sakura, you?" Naruto said, running his hand through his blond locks one last time. The elevator dinged, and just like that, Naruto's hair popped back into its original style.

"To see Shino," Shikamaru said as he steps aside for some people to leave.

"Ah, the results came in already?" Naruto said thoughtfully, his head tilting to the side. "By the way, who's the victim?"

Shikamaru froze at the look in Naruto's eyes. It was blue and creepily wide with curiosity. He was about to say Mikoto's case is a suicide when he realized Naruto was speaking of something else. The body of the man found in the alleyway last night.

"I can't disclose such information to the public yet," he replied, moving to lean in the corner and away from Naruto as the elevator closed. It was just the two of them, oddly, Shikamaru felt uneasy.

"Hm…" Naruto nodded in understanding. His eyes were closed and head swaying as if enjoying the elevator's music. Shikamaru never understands him, psychologists are the weirdest, they fuck with people's mind and one wouldn't even realize they're doing it. They have a special way of thinking and it frightens him a bit.

"I'll just ask Sasuke," Naruto grinned, eyes mysterious as he turned fully toward Shikamaru. He can see Naruto clearly now, his hair still messy and eye bags a shade darker than Shikamaru last remembered. Naruto took a step forward, smile still plastered on his face and eyes knowing. Shikamaru held back a gulp.

As if on cue, the elevator dinged again. The doors slowly slid open, yet Naruto stayed rooted with his back turned to the entrance. Shikamaru thinks it's just him but the elevator felt a tad colder as a figure entered, hidden by Naruto's larger one.

"Speaking of the devil," Naruto hummed, smiling and tapping his feet a bit as he stepped to the side, revealing a certain little raven Uchiha boy. He was like usual, face bored and mouth straight and eyes blank and Shikamaru thinks this is unfair. They were two and he was one, it was cheating.

"You're out quite early, it haven't been an hour yet," Naruto said, looking straight ahead but Shikamaru suspected he was speaking to the little boy.

Sasuke shrugged. "She must've went easy on me."

Shikamaru had no idea what they were talking about. Not a clue.

"Floor 18?" Naruto asked, not looking anywhere as he turned to the elevator's buttons. Shikamaru recognize the number, it was the same floor he was heading toward.

"20," Sasuke said instead, staring straight into Shikamaru's eyes despite talking to Naruto.

The blond whipped his head around, staring at the little boy with interested eyes. He had on a hard expression for a moment before returning to his relax and smiling one. A moment of understanding, Shikamaru realized.

"To what do I owe this honor?" Naruto asked mockingly, raising one of his eyebrow at the boy.

Finally, Sasuke turned toward the blond, and Shikamaru let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Perhaps it's because the piercing stare from the boy on him was lifted or just because they're **actually** looking at the people they're talking to.

"To Sakura, you're lucky she's simply _such_ a _loveable_ person that I must visit her, can't afford to let you get all the girls," Sasuke said, eyes curving up along with his lips. Shikamaru heard the irony, but he hadn't catch the inside joke.

"Enough with the 'love' words, I'm getting sick," Naruto waved him off. He paused suddenly, his eyes lighting up.

"You're going for it then?" Naruto asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his lips. There's a moment of silence. Sasuke didn't answer, and Shikamaru don't think he's planning to at all. Both Naruto and the boy seems to be in a deep staring contest and Shikamaru feels like a third wheeler, an intruder.

The elevator dinged. The moment broken.

Sasuke took a step away from the door, making way for the two to leave.

"I'll see you later, Naruto," Sasuke said, smirking and Shikamaru decided he likes it better when the boy had a straight, emotionless face.

"Nara," Sasuke added, just as Shikamaru stepped out of the elevator. The brunet froze, turning back to meet Sasuke's gaze.

"Uchiha," Shikamaru nodded, the door closing as they exchanged one last glare.

Shikamaru had a hand on his chest when he knew no one was looking. That encounter was crazy. He felt so attacked and threatened, it left him breathless.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

"So why are you here?" Shikamaru asked, him and Naruto walking leisurely to what he fears might be the same destination.

"Shino, as you can tell, it was originally Sasuke who's supposed to be here but things changed," Naruto shrugged, head tilting toward Shikamaru and grinning. "For the better."

"And why? Why are you guys here at all?" Shikamaru pried.

"Ino had a session with Sasuke, guess it didn't result well...on her end that is," Naruto hummed, happy he seems like.

"Isn't it a bit too soon?" Shikamaru asked, remembering the last time a child's parent died, they had at least a few days to rest and grieve before being called to have sessions to help them cope. Not that he's saying having sessions with a psychologist is _bad_ , it's just a bit too soon.

"That's what both me and Kiba said, but we don't run things around here," Naruto shrugged, lips pursed and looking straight ahead. "Plus, I think Sasuke is coping pretty well."

 _Too well_ , Shikamaru thought but he wasn't going to speak when he's not an expert in the field.

••••••••••••••••••••

He knocked once before turning the handle and stepping into the office. The room was large, workers in white coats walking around in hushed voices and steps. Sasuke maneuvered around the rushing people, not one person cared to look his way. He reached the main office's door in seconds, opening and entering like the place belonged to him. It was a regular office, with a couch and a large desk near the enormous, glass windows. A name tag was placed neatly on the wooden desk, , it says.

He walked casually over to it and circled around it. Seeing the chair unoccupied, Sasuke settled on the cushions, fingers tapping the arm piece. He twirled toward the large glass panes, watching the city beneath played with its cars and traffic. He sighed and turned the chair back to the desk. Feet kicking up and resting on the paperwork that Sakura had abandoned.

Sasuke could literally hear her. She was in her private _experimental_ room just next to this one. Obviously too indulge in her subjects to even noticed Sasuke coming in and invading her space. That or she's purposely making the little boy wait.

Sasuke have patience, a lot in fact, but only for Naruto. He brought his feet up and slammed it down onto the little bell sitting on the desk. Creating a loud sound and effectively knocking Sakura's name tag off while he's at it too.

"Damn Naruto! I told you to neve-" Sakura yelled, walking out of her experimenting room and wiping blood off her dissecting knife.

"You told him to never _what_?" Sasuke asked, arms crossed behind his head and feet tilting innocently from side to side.

Sakura froze, looking at the little boy sitting casually on her chair.

"Sasuke," she breathed, eyes wide and her heart racing at the sight. She was **not** prepared for this, **not** for _him_.

"Wh..what are you doing here?" Sakura asked nervously, dissecting knife played with dangerously in her hands. She saw the way the raven's eyes quickly glance toward her hand. Sakura gulped, watching as the boy slipped off the seat. Sasuke was intimidating for a kid, for sure, Sakura isn't the only one who thinks so. He was walking leisurely over to her, hands in his pockets as if hiding something. Sakura had asked Ino to inform her when the session with Sasuke was finished but she guessed the call never came.

"To talk, why else would I be here," the young Uchiha shrugged, eyes never leaving hers as he walked closer.

"Um, right, talk," she muttered, eyes darting desperately toward the cameras on the ceiling.

"Privately," Sasuke finished, head nodding toward the room she just came out of. He opened the door with his foot, motioning for Sakura to enter.

"Ladies first."

Sakura didn't want to go in first. In fact, she didn't want to go in at all. Not with Sasuke, together, alone, in a room with no cameras and a lot of sharp _tools_.

"Children above all," she retorted, eyes taking in the little smirk playing on Sasuke's lips. For all she know, it wasn't a playful one.

Sakura's hand was still gripping the dissecting knife like it was a lifeline.

She watches as Sasuke obliviously walked in first, leaving his back vulnerable to the world.

••••••••••••••••••

"5:33, was when he's killed," Shino said, showing them a broken watch that must've stopped when the victim fell on the concrete floor. Naruto and Shikamaru exchanged a quick glance.

"But you see here?" Shino continued, pointing toward the stab marks on the chests and moving up to the slashed wounds on the victim's neck. "The stab wounds are a bit older then the sliced neck part."

"You're saying..." Naruto spoke up when no one said anything else.

"He's saying, Naruto," Shikamaru sighed, "whoever kills this person, sliced their neck after they are dead."

"Yes, because the neck have a lot of blood flow, but right here," Shino explained, pointing to the victim's neck, "there isn't much bleeding..."

"...because the body's system already stopped and there's no heart pumping blood through the arteries," Naruto finishes for him, straightening up and staring at the victim from afar.

"Right," Shino nodded, pushing his glasses back to its original place.

"Who is this man? I've never _even_ heard of his existence," Naruto said.

"Kizashi," Shino said, not look at them as he zipped up the plastic cover over the dead body.

"There's too little blood on the ground for it to be the real murder scene, especially for a body with multiple stab and slash wounds ," Shikamaru muttered, eyebrows knitting together in deep thinking.

"You can't forget that it rained pretty hard last night, it washed away a lot of evidences," Shino suggested, pushing the cart back into the cooler.

Shikamaru nodded in understanding, his hand holding up the Ziploc bag with the broken watch.

"What do you think?" Naruto asked, leaning over to see what Shikamaru was looking at so intently.

"I think...the floor does have to be concrete to make a crack on this watch that must've cost a few hundreds," the brunet said, twisting to look at the back of it.

"Which hand was he wearing it on?" Naruto asked out of his dumb curiosity.

"Right," Shino said as an afterthought. Naruto looked up for a moment, wondering if these mistakes are on purpose. The victim, Kizashi was obviously a businessman who sits at the computer table for more than half of his life now. It explains why his shoulders are uneven, with the right side slightly higher than the other due to using the mouse and writing on desks that are too high. He was right handed, it didn't make any sense why he would wear the watch on his right wrist.

"I'm done here, I'll wait for you outside," Naruto said suddenly, stepping back and exiting the room without another word.

Shikamaru and Shino watched the blond slipped out of the doors and closing it after himself.

"Well, I guess only you will hear this," Shino said, going back to his desk and microscope. "The victim's last name is Haruno."

••••••••••••••••••

Shikamaru stepped out of room in shock. He didn't know Sak-

"Shikamaru, hurry up, I've been keeping the elevator waiting for you!" Naruto ushered, his foot jarring the metal doors to stop it from closing.

He really should tell Naruto that stopping an elevator isn't good public manners but Shikamaru hadn't the mind to do so. He thinks Naruto was talking but his ears weren't really listening. He was in a land of his own. Nothing could distract him from it, until the young Uchiha walked in.

Shikamaru watched with wide eyes as Sasuke entered, hands and shirt bloodied, a few specks of red were splattered on his face. He looked horrifying.

"Sasuke! Blood," Naruto yelled, pointing the boy's red hands and shirt.

"Not mine," Sasuke said, wiping his palms onto the clean part of his pants. He shot a glance at Shikamaru, who was pressed up against the elevator's wall, frighten for his life.

"Sakura tripped while wearing her 5ft tall heels and fell on me," Sasuke said, his thumb wiping the little bits of blood on his perfect skin. Which only made it smudged more on his face.

"That still doesn't explain the blood," Shikamaru said, surprised at his calm voice. The boy glared over, obviously pissed at something.

"She pushed me into the damn corpse she's experimenting, there was blood all over the place," Sasuke scowled, fingers wiping slowly but his anger clearly visible in his movements.

"..So did you talk?" Naruto said, changing the subject and pulling Sasuke away from the doors to allow it to close. The little boy paused for a moment, straightening up next to Naruto. Shikamaru didn't care for any explanation, he was keeping his distance even if it killed him.

"Yeah, we _talked_ ," Sasuke finally answered, face already back to its original, emotionless mask.

"So...it's Sakura?" Naruto asked.

"It's Sakura," the raven nodded, confirming something Shikamaru had no idea about.

"What about Sakura?" Shikamaru asked, shocked from the sudden mention of the name. Both Sasuke and Naruto paused at the same time. He already knew what they were going to do next. Shikamaru wasn't wrong, the two exchanged a long staring contest as if contemplating what to say.

"Tell him," Sasuke said, breaking eye contact and deciding, cleaning the the blood off his hands was more interesting.

"Um..." Naruto mumbled, looking up at Shikamaru awkwardly. He quickly blabbered some nonsense then adverted his gaze elsewhere.

"You tell him," the blond hushed, turning his body completely toward an empty wall.

Sasuke sighed, flicking off the last bit of blood before staring up. His eyes devoid of any light as he spoke to Shikamaru.

"Kizashi Haruno is her father, her mother and father had a divorce before Sakura was born, she's sobbing about his death on her desk right now," Sasuke said blankly, looking away as he finishes his sentence.

"You-"

"Shikamaru, I think you should go comfort her, Ino isn't in a good mental state either," Naruto cut in, his fingers already pressing the number to floor 20.

"What? Ino-"

Shikamaru didn't get to finish when the elevator dinged. He was immediately pushed out of the elevator by a pair of large hands. Naruto's.

He turned around only quick enough to catch the two staring blankly at him. They stood side by side, arms touching like perfect little mannequins.

The steel doors slid closed.

Shikamaru concluded. That was crazy. More frightening than any ride he ever rode.

••••••••••••••••••

"Don't take it personally," Naruto said, patting Sasuke's shoulders encouragingly, "he's just shocked at the sight of blood."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded, looking ahead at nothing in particular.

"Oh, are you sulking?" Naruto groaned, reaching his hands out to the little boy. "Here, we can hold hands."

Sasuke stared down at the hand then back up at the blond who was offering it.

Without hesitation, he took it.

•••••••••••••••••••

Sakura had to hold in her scream and sobs. It hurt. A lot. First she fell on Sasuke and the dissecting knife went straight through the palms of her hand. Sasuke had fell into a bloody corpse. She guessed that might've pissed the little boy off a bit but she hadn't expect this _level_ of retaliation. She was in pain and grabbing onto the metal table to stabilize her footing. Sakura wasn't fast enough to react when the Uchiha took another dissecting knife and pinned her free hand onto the table. She fell onto her knees, screaming but no one heard, not when they're in this sound proof room. Only Sasuke did, which probably made him angrier than before because she got another scissor lodged in her palm. It came from beneath the metal table, piercing through the hard material and straight into her flesh. She came to a conclusion, Sasuke was crazy. Very, definitely crazy. Crazy strong and fast to be able to make a scissor go through a steel table like that because damn.

"I came to warn you Haruno," Sasuke said, staring mercilessly down at the woman breathing haggardly on the floor. "Don't play in my territory."

•••••••••••••••••••

They were back in Naruto's apartment. Sasuke was sitting in the bathtub with his pants still on, obediently letting Naruto scrubbed his back. His skin was turning red from excessive scrubbing but he didn't really mind.

"You know," Naruto said all of the sudden, stopping to roll up his wet sleeves, "I was thinking..."

He paused as if waiting for the raven to reply.

"Yeah?" Sasuke hummed, eyes closed and head tilted to hear better.

"I should get you a watch," the blond chuckled, going back to scrubbing Sasuke's bare back.

"Really now?" Sasuke smiled, feeling blood drawn from his back. Naruto scrubbed too hard.

"Yes," he replied, throwing the towel aside and pouring water over Sasuke's back.

"But you'll probably **break** it anyways."

There was a moment of silence but it was quickly broken by laughter.

The bathtub's water was colored red.

But the blood wasn't theirs.

••••••••••••••••••••

 **End of Chapter 4**

* * *

 _You think I'm crazy, but let me tell you, it takes one to know one._

* * *

A/N:

Sasuke have a reason to be cruel to Sakura. I promise.

I have the final chapters finished yet I'm struggling with the middle part. I don't have the brain to write the **core** of this story unless it's between 1am and 6am. It's the only time I'm smart and coo coo enough to write this. :c

July 01, 2016 19:19


	5. Chapter 5: Watch the Deep Sea Sinks

Schizo 5 (13)

November 21, 2016

Hey look, I haven't updated in a year. Because. It's 2017. And. 2016 just. Ended.

As you can see. This is indeed the 13th version of chapter 5. And if you read between the lines, you can tell that I might've bitten more than I can chew.

 **YugiKitten** : bless. It's been 7 months. Is it too late to take that quick critique offer lol?

Thanks for the reviews guys. I love nothing more than seeing people confuse and suffer because of me. Many hearts!

chapt word count: 6125

••••••••••••••••••••

 **Chapter 5** : _**Watch the Deep Sea Sinks**_

••••••••••••••••••••

 _Fun Fact_ : **Psychopaths are** _ **born**_ **, Sociopaths are** _ **made**_ **.**

•

 _"Naruto, I want you to have this," Minato smiled, handing the little boy an old Polaroid camera. It was Naruto's birthday. October 10, the day he turned thirteen._

 _A Polaroid camera, he learned, was_ _easy to use, fast, efficient, and kept no histories, no risk of lingering evidences._

 _Naruto gasped, mouth wide and eyes sparkled as he took the camera in his own hands. It was also the anniversary of his mother's death. Fortunate for him, it seemed his dad decided to celebrate his birthday rather than spend it at mom's grave. Naruto was eager but at the same time gentle with the camera, as if the object cost millions. In fact, it used to be his dad's, it's priceless._

 _"For me?" Naruto choked, hands shaking as he took a closer look at the gift his father gave him. It was well polished, not quite an antique but old nonetheless._

 _"No," Minato disclosed, "it's for your 15th birthday."_

 _Then what's the point of giving Naruto this if—_

 _"This model is old and there's only a limited amount of film left," Minato explained, making sure it sounded simple enough for Naruto's ears. "About a few hundred takes. I just wanted you to keep it safe for now."_

 _"Dad," Naruto said, a bit concern as he stood on his tiptoes to rest a hand on Minato's shoulder. "It's the twenty-first century. With today's global trade and production, there are numerous collections of films available, I'm sure this isn't that rare."_

 _Minato paused, looked up at the ceiling, reconsidering his life's worth._

 _"Did little Sasuke tell you that?" Minato chuckled, tilting his head down to stared at his son._

 _"Noo," Naruto was quick to defend himself. "I was reading Sasuke a bedtime story."_

 _And by bedtime story, he meant weird books about science and economy that Sasuke liked to pick out to torture Naruto's tongue. Three-fourth of the time the words are too hard for Naruto to understand or even pronounce. Though most of the time, Sasuke seemed content with the occasional mispronunciation, and more often than not, Naruto's the one falling asleep to these wretched books._

 _"That boy is a bright one," Minato admitted, looking at the distance beyond. "I worry for his future."_

 _Naruto nodded, staring down at his, now, camera. He's concern for Sasuke's future too. The kid doesn't talk much around people, he stares a lot, and even at the young age of four, he's already judging everything that moves. Sometimes, Naruto would find himself under Sasuke's analyzing eyes and believe him, it's more than nerve wrecking._

 _"If the film is limited, what should I take pictures of?" Naruto asked, looking up at his dad for future advice._

 _Minato hummed with his hands placed firm on his hips. A sign of a critical thinking process taking place. Also, a gesture often told was a habit of his mother's. He wished he'll grow up to be just like the mother he never knew. Perhaps then—_

 _"Photograph something you're afraid of losing," Minato suggested, giving Naruto a thumb up as an encouragement._

 _"Does that sound meaningful and fatherly enough?" Minato asked, nervous laughter played in the back of his throat. He was a single father. Naruto knew how hard it was to bring up a child properly. After all, he was practically raising Sasuke on his back._

 _Naruto laughed, bringing the camera up to his eyes. Pointing the lens at his father and came closer until the man was the only thing visible through Naruto's view._

 _"Smile for me?" Naruto asked, grinning himself because his father's smile was rare and happened only on his healthy days. But it's no less than the most beautiful thing Naruto laid eyes on._

 _Then he snapped a picture._

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The sky outside was dark and starless with the moon in its waning phase. Sasuke already tucked in his bed, sleeping soundly, probably.

Naruto, on the other hand, could barely shut his eyes. Chewing on a white piece of hard candy and crushing it into powder in his mouth. A tinge of bitterness and glimpses of darkness.

As usual it didn't work its magic, his system too immune to it.

Naruto shivered in the chilled night air and curled himself into a ball. Waiting for night to pass, dawn to come and heaven to cry. Naruto could practically smell the rain approaching, anytime now. Soon.

Around 3 AM., was when a sound came knocking on his bedroom's door.

Naruto stayed unfazed as he stared ahead at the ceiling, already knowing who was knocking and why. _Perfect_ timing; just when he got comfortable. He waited for the knock to come again but nothing ensues. Groaning, he sat up to fluff his semi wet pillow and immediately fell back onto it.

Louder knocking came. Closer. Too close.

He was fully awake now, mind racing and regretting his choice of letting a child live under the same roof. Who ever thought it was a good choice to let him be Sasuke's guardian.

 _Knock knock._

"Hold your horses! I'm coming!" Naruto shouted, standing up abruptly. Water splashing on cold tiles as he stepped out of the bathtub, toes shriveled and cold. He didn't bother grabbing a towel nor drying himself. Cranky, Naruto exited the master's bathroom, clothes still wet and eye bags darker than ever.

At this point, he shouldn't be so surprised anymore. Sasuke was already making himself comfortable on Naruto's bed. Sitting with his little back against the headboard and a thick book in hand as he scanned through the pages.

Naruto stood frozen at his bathroom's entrance, looking done with life than life itself. Is there a point in knocking if Sasuke was going to let himself in anyways?

"Sasuke, what the actual fuck?" The blond asked, eyes squinting in frustration.

Sasuke looked up from his book, expressionless as he stared at Naruto. Not questioning the fact that the blond was wet from head to toe at this odd hour.

"I wanted to read you a story," Sasuke said _innocently_ , dark eyes hypnotic and mesmerizing.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, _too_ _innocently_.

"Sasuke, I'm kind of busy here," Naruto retorted, pointing to his soaked body and the puddle of water already forming under his feet.

"It's not macroeconomics this time," Sasuke promised, lifting the book so Naruto could see the cover. Scribbled words too far and small it was impossible to read a where Naruto stood, still pissed.

The blond frowned, looked toward the window and watched the rain droplets fall.

"Does it _have_ to be today?" He groaned again. Rainy days weren't his good mood days.

"Well, it can't be any other the day," Sasuke replied, shuffling off the bed and feet soundless as he landed on the wooden floor. Slandered past Naruto and he headed toward the closet, digging through Naruto's clothes without consent.

"Sasuke," Naruto sighed, stepping to the side to get out of the puddle he created. "I'm really tired tonight, maybe another time."

"Today, Naruto," Sasuke insisted, yanking out a pair of hideously neon yellow pajamas. It was a gift from Sai if Naruto remembered correctly, in fact, he'd preferred not to remember correctly.

Sasuke froze, gave the yellow pajamas a once over and didn't waste a second throwing it in the to-burn pile. Which Naruto was more than glad to let him, but the next thing Sasuke pulled out was a bit triggering. Itachi's sweatpants that Naruto had washed and thrown back into his closet. He gulped, hoping Sasuke won't check the pockets. Heavens please don't let Sasuke check the pockets. Naruto never held his breath for so long in his 19 years alive.

"I don't understand you," Sasuke sighed, threw the sweatpants aside like he didn't care. He didn't but Naruto did, blue eyes followed the cotton pants like a piercing hawk.

"One day you want to drown and another you want to burn," Sasuke mumbled more to himself than to anyone else and continued digging through Naruto's closet without a care in the world.

Naruto opened his mouth to argue but found himself sewing his lips close. He had no comment. It was a loaded statement and either way, Naruto's going to get trouble for answer.

"I want that one," Naruto said for the sake of stopping Sasuke from hollowing out his closet.

"This?" The boy asked, quirking an eyebrow as he pulled out a frightening pair of pink pajamas Sakura had given him for his birthday. There must be a cruel inside joke behind all of this and seemed like Naruto's at the butt of it all.

He swallowed his pride and flashed a painful grin, "Sure, those, why not."

The look on Sasuke's face showed he's trying hard not to judge but for once Naruto can read through it like glass. He came over, quiet, meaningful steps and handed Naruto the pink bundle of soft fabric.

"Change. I'll be back in two," was all the little boy said and slammed the bedroom door in Naruto's confused face.

He was unclear. Two what? Two seconds? Two days? Minutes? Hours? Months? For all Naruto knew, Sasuke could have meant two decades.

Naruto did strip anyways and was putting on a new underwear when the door flew open. To his dismay, Sasuke meant two seconds.

"Thanks for knocking," Naruto called, slipping on his pajamas in a hurry before Sasuke's patience runs dry and he decides to use the hairdryer in his hand as a weapon rather than a tool.

"We're well passed that point of formality," Sasuke had the audacity to retort as he closed the door behind him.

Naruto quirked his eyebrows but Sasuke's back was turned and the boy missed it.

"Come and sit," Sasuke said, patting the bed as he crawled on the floor, looking for an outlet to plug the hairdryer into. His back was turned and it looked small and vulnerable and weak and carefree. Too carefree for it to be safe to make a move.

"I think the bathtub water is still running," Naruto said quickly, taking a step back. "Let me just go really fast and turn—"

"Sit." It sounded too much like Naruto's father and he hated it.

It took approximately three milliseconds for Naruto to scrambled toward the bed, face planting the mattress before promptly sitting on it.

"I'm not kiddin—" Naruto tried again but Sasuke was quick to cut him off.

"Uzumaki Naruto. The faucet is not on. There is no water running."

Naruto grumbled and pulled his knees closer to his chest. Heat from the hairdryer is scorching hot and his scalp was going to burn by the time Sasuke's finished with it.

"Maybe your baby ears can't hear it—"

"Naruto. Stop. You are not going back inside the bathroom and no this is not up for discussion," Sasuke finalized, turning the heat down a level and yes, yes, this is it, this the right temperature. Perfect and just like what Naruto was used to.

"Alright but if I wake up drowning in overflowing water..." Naruto dragged out, guilt tripping was his thing since 1996. "You know who I'm haunting for the rest of my miserable ghost life."

"You can _swim_..." Sasuke muttered, his voice so light and it's a surprise Naruto can hear it through the hot air blowing.

"Never _learned_ ," Naruto said bluntly, gazing dead ahead. Never learned to swim, never _wanted_ to learn to swim, never get a _chance_ to learn to swim—

"—because my dad died before he could teach me," Naruto scowled, head whipping around and glaring into a pair of eyes too dark to see pass. Can't read Sasuke like he read his patients. Can't understand the kid like he does with others. Can't _connect_.

"I'm not sorry," Sasuke said, flicking off the hairdryer but Naruto's hair was still damp.

Naruto was rendered speechless, could only watched as Sasuke ripped the plug from the outlet.

"Are you serious?" The blond snickered, incredulous.

"I'm sorry for what his death _does_ to you," Sasuke rephrased, nimble fingers careful and small as he wrapped the strings back around the hairdryer. "I'm not sorry for _his_ death specifically."

Naruto's eyes widened and his nose flared and his mouth is open, ready to shout and yell but he can't. His chest constricted, lungs blocked, and throat cracked. Should've known. Sasuke was always indifferent to everything, to emotions, to sympathy, to death. What went wrong with him?

3:43 AM.

"Let's see who'll be sorry once I get your smiling face on film," Naruto murmured, lifted his feet off the ground and dove into his bed. Grumpy, he yanked the blankets over himself until it engulfed him in nothing but soft and fluffy cotton.

Underneath, he held his breath, waited for Sasuke to leave but knew he won't hear it either way. The boy's steps are too light, too careful, too cautious.

"I'll be back in two," Sasuke said after he stood there for what felt like eons but was only a minute.

Naruto heard the door close, the doorknob twist, the metal lock automatically clicking into place. Eerie silence ensued and for once he's not used to it, uncomfortable with it.

He waited for exactly two minutes, like Sasuke promised, but fell asleep halfway. And when he woke again in two hours, he found Sasuke standing by his bed, hair soaked and clothes newly changed. He whispered something and, Naruto, with his mind hazy, followed the orders. Reached inside his pink pajamas and pulled out a soggy Polaroid picture. It was hard to see in the dark room but he mapped out a person with long, blood red hair and glasses. He didn't remember much after that, hit with sudden sleepiness but Sasuke insisted Naruto changed into dry clothes before he catches hypothermia.

••••••••••••

"You looked _drowned_ ," a harmless comment that Ino carelessly threw as Naruto went to dropped Sasuke off. Harmless but it was enough to kicked Naruto off his sleepy train and into the conversation.

"I didn't drown," the blond blurted, eyes shifty as he watched for passersby, for eavesdroppers.

Ino glanced around, confused and Sasuke downright sighed, lips in a slight frown he always wore.

"She meant you looked tired," Sasuke said, eyes meeting Naruto's and it took the blond a while to process. He needed coffee but they ran late this morning. Only because Naruto misplaced a picture. Kizashi Haruno's. Couldn't figure out where it is. Not in his pockets, not in the bathtub, not under his bed— nowhere. Couldn't spot a trace of it, as if it didn't exist to begin with.

"Oh, right, stayed up late," Naruto chuckled heartily but sent a glare Uchiha's way. "Sasuke here couldn't get used to the new environment."

"Is that so?" Ino chirped, eyes lighting up as if she landed the gold mine and her hands moved to pat Sasuke on the back.

"I would not do that if I were you," Sasuke interrupted, side stepping her touch, "last I remembered, it is a violation against your regulations to touch patients without official consent."

"Why I almost forgot," Ino smiled, nodded to Naruto before signaling Sasuke toward her office and Naruto stayed long enough to see the door closed.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sasuke eyes didn't meet hers, it never did, they were always on the clock up the wall just behind Ino's chair.

"So? How are you feeling today?" Ino asked the usual, which she knew won't work on Sasuke. The boy was stubborn and he must have programmed himself to answer 'normal'.

Normal is subjective, too many interpretations of normal and it's wrong to some degree to feel 'normal' when your mother recently committed suicide. She knew though, for kids and many, the grieve hits when realization does. And she expected it when Sasuke answered 'normal' again as if it's his personality. His dominant mood because Ino had not _once_ caught the boy with any other emotion on his face.

"As in...? Happy? Sad? Fine?" She tried again, eyebrows quirked up but already knew the answer from yesterday's experience. She's patient. Will stay patient until Sasuke decides to let himself loose.

"As in," Sasuke said, watching the hands of the clock run. "extremely disappointed."

"That's..." Ino breathed, eyes bright as she stared at the boy who won't even look at her. "Why are you disappointed Sasuke?"

The young Uchiha paused, eyelids heavy.

"Because I'm not making progress," he said, his gaze distant and flickered with hidden messages.

"Sasuke, I promised you, I'm here to help you make progress," Ino ensured and watched as her words goes through one ear and out the other.

••••••••••

"I swear he hated me, Shikamaru," Naruto said, gripped his coffee cup tightly as they sat on the bench outside of a nearby cafe. "One minute he's nice, like _family,_ you know, and the next he wanted me burnt or something."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Are we on the topic of Sasuke again?" The Shikamaru half sighed half yawned, though he did remember to take a drink from his coffee. This have been going on for as long as he remembered. An occasional, once a month, where he and Naruto have a sit down at a cafe's bench while they swapped observations. It's insightful and weird, trading information and stories of the past that left them both curious about the city, about life. So many things Naruto saw that Shikamaru never noticed. Something those who read humans will notice. More than once, a sit down they have helped Shikamaru solved a case he never would've had a chance at.

"Interpret it however you like," Naruto mumbled, which wasn't really an answer, but eyes of blue were too focused on the coffee cup snuggled fittingly in his palms.

Shikamaru took that as a yes then. Family problems with Sasuke – on what? The third day of living together? Already?

"Changing the subject," Naruto said, staring at nothing and taking a small sip of his coffee. "Found out anything about Kizashi's watch?"

Shikamaru considered it, twirled his coffee in circles and caught glimpses of the cup's bottom. He almost at his end, no doubt Naruto is just as close.

"That you were right and the watch _is_ broken on concrete ground," Shikamaru mentioned. "I asked Sakura about it and said she gave the watch to her father as an apology gift."

Naruto took a sip, his coffee black with three hundred grams of sugar added. Tasted like diabetes.

"She said anything about the model of the watch?" Naruto asked, examining his now empty cup. Only stains of black coffee and he bet Shikamaru don't got much left on his side either.

"Just a classic Rolex Deepsea," Shikamaru shrugged, nothing special and price didn't matter with Sakura. She was the head doctor of the medical department.

Naruto scoffed, almost laughing and Shikamaru had no clue what was so comedic about this.

"Rolex _**Deepsea**_ my ass," Naruto spat, almost crushing his cup, "Kizashi Haruno had an incident that almost made it into the New York Times News because of how stupid it was."

Shikamaru contemplated on it, foraging his memories for the event but couldn't remember. Too many cases but rarely did he forget an incident of any kind.

"What happened?" Shikamaru asked, taking the last swig of his coffee. Sweet. Too sweet.

Naruto shrugged and Shikamaru suspected a hint of snickering, "almost drowned himself in the kids' pool. It was _toes_ deep. The guy's a pussy cat when it comes to anything H2O related."

Shikamaru would laugh, except he could practically taste the implications Naruto were making. For a man who can barely handle water, he had no need for a _**Deepsea**_ watch that can withstand pressure and is waterproof and not to mention cost thousands. Sakura would know. She _knew_. She wasn't the type to spend carelessly, often, a lot of thoughts are put in her gifts.

"We're either dealing with conspirators or a copycat," Naruto concluded, frowning at his crumbled cup. "You better hope it's the latter."

"Naruto, you're speaking psychologists' language again," Shikamaru commented. He could very well decipher what Naruto is implying; only he can't because he's being deprived of a seemingly important key point.

"What are you implying Naruto?" He asked again and watched in silent as Naruto sighed and continued crushing the paper cup in his hand.

"Well, unfortunate luck it seems," Naruto huffed, stood and stretched under the morning sun. His hair glimmered under the light and it's almost ethereal. "but you're out of coffee."

That was when Shikamaru noticed, looked down to examine his now empty cup with only marks of black coffee left.

"Better chance next time," Naruto winked before taking the usual route down the sidewalk. Like he always did, strolled leisurely back toward his work place and leaving Shikamaru with more questions than when he came.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Waiting for Sasuke was tedious, for some reason it's taking longer than the one hour promised. And since Naruto didn't come here to work, they didn't allow him to do anything other than take occupation of the employees' lounge. He was alone, on the couch, staring ahead at the large screen television. Buzzing white noise filled his head and it was all he can think about, the gray display.

"Interesting choice of TV show," someone commented and Naruto was too used to the voice to turn around.

"Nothing to watch nowadays," Naruto said, eyes staring ahead, unblinking. He felt the sofa cushions dipped beside him and warmth; dangerous and manipulative warmth.

"Anything would be more interesting than this gray static screen," Sakura said, waving away at the television and Naruto caught a glimpse of white bandages in his peripheral view.

"Highly doubt so," Naruto concluded, his mind too stubborn.

Sakura sighed, long and loud and drawn out and it's all done deliberately.

"Heard from Ino you guys came for the sessions an _hour_ late," she said, changing the subject and it's the best decision she done so far in Naruto's opinion.

"Misplaced an important picture," Naruto shrugged, his thumbs wrestling one another in a lazy manner.

"A picture," Sakura repeated, lifting an eyebrow. "A picture so important you turned the house inside-out and came an hour late."

"Your father's," Naruto corrected, putting up an index finger to prove his point. "A picture of your father is indeed important."

Sakura burst out in giggles, her unharmed hand slapping the sofa in attempt to calm herself.

"Naruto, of course you don't have a picture of him, he's _my_ father," Sakura said, curious as she looked up at him with pale jade eyes.

Naruto kept his mouth shut, eyes fixed on the palms of his hands and tracing the line on his skin. Can't tell her.

"But if it makes you feel any better," Sakura decided to speak up, her good hand digging into the pocket of her lab coat and rummaging for something.

A picture. Crumbled but otherwise undamaged. She smoothed it on the flat surface of the coffee table and held it out for Naruto.

"I have a picture of him, carried it around for sentimental purposes," she said, and Naruto, with a lingering suspicion, took it with hesitation.

It was indeed a picture of Kizashi Haruno. A Polaroid picture because the camera was easy to use, fast, efficient and kept no histories, no risk of lingering evidences, only it was different model from the one Naruto own. Once again, the watch bothered him. There was no "Deepsea" watch. Nothing. Both wrists were bare, not even a tan line where it should have existed had Kizashi worn a watch.

"I'm not supposed to be talking to you," Naruto said, threw the picture aside and got up as fast as he can without seemingly so.

"Naruto," Sakura said, stood up and grabbed him by the arm before he could run. Could flee. Her eyebrows were tilted into worried lines. "What's wrong with you nowadays?"

Naruto gulped, nose flared and here it comes. He was ready this time.

"Why do you not talk to me anymore?" Sakura asked, wincing because she made a mistake of grabbing Naruto with her bad hand. "Are we not friends anymore?"

There it was. The famous, notorious, loaded question. Last Naruto remembered, they've been childhood friends since, well, childhood, and they have yet to do anything that might destroy the status quo. There's no reason to ask such a question other than to get Naruto in guilt land. Then a sudden realization hit him. A sign that blinks with the answer drilled in him. He must say what is written. Not an option. _Not up for discussion_. But he wasn't going to listen, he is his own man, he is to make his own decisions.

Naruto opened his mouth, words of his own and only his own ready to spill "Of cour—"

"Yes," a voice cut in, too recognizable for anyone's comfort, especially Naruto, "you two are friends."

Both Naruto and Sakura took a collective back, as far away from the door as they're allowed.

"Just not on my watch," said the little raven Uchiha who stood so tall for someone so small. Eyes of obsidian and hair of the midnight sky and a smile that's never there.

Naruto considered it, eyes flitted up the wall and on the ticking clock.

"You're late," he mentioned, took a step forward but something held tight onto his elbow.

" _Naruto, we're not done_ ," Sakura whispered, wrinkling her nose in Naruto's direction so only he can see.

" _We can talk another time, Sasuke's waiting_ ," Naruto replied, voice hushed and he, in no way doubt that Sasuke can hear them.

" _We've been friends since the 90's Naruto, the kid can wait_ ," Sakura countered quietly, tugging pleadingly on Naruto's arm.

" _The 'kid'_ ," Naruto quoted, keeping his tone as small as he could. " _Is_ _ **Sasuke**_ _; and unless you want both of us ending up in the hell hole, we'll talk another time_!"

Sakura stopped, eye silently observing and Naruto can see the determination in them. It's bright and the color of faded jade. Her eyes were beautiful, sparkling with bright dreams, like Naruto's dad. No pictures could capture the beauty of it. No words. No memories.

"That's a promise," Sakura huffed, heels clinking as she turned and fled for the exit. Passing Sasuke on her way out but they made no movement to greet one another.

Then it was just him and Sasuke, standing face to face at a distance strangers would keep from one another. Only the air vent was humming and if they listened closely, it sounded almost like a tuneless song.

Sasuke was glaring; handing out death glares like an advertisement of a long-suffering future for those who dared to meet it. Naruto was sure he's being glared at, no doubt about it. The silence that refused to budge made the tension all the more nerve wrecking than it needed to be. Naruto also knew for a fact that he's sweating more than a fish in the desert and that's not a good sign; fishes don't sweat. Perhaps in three more seconds he'll have a mental breakdown like everyone who stared at Sasuke for too long.

"Why are you like this around Sakura?" Naruto spoke, desperate to get out of the hypnotizing trance that Sasuke caught him in.

The raven blinked. It was for the first time in a century and agonizingly slow at that. And then he blinked again.

"I am not sure Naruto, her babysitting abilities ruined my childhood," Sasuke said, sarcastically scary, took a babystep forward and somehow made it seemed almost...threatening. Naruto will admit Sakura wasn't that good with childcare, but neither was he.

"And because she writes her Y's and G's too much like I do—"

So Sasuke just dislike the way the Sakura writes because it's similar to his.

"Because she manipulated you into adopting her abhorrent handwriting."

Naruto liked Sakura's method of writing. He wasn't _manipulated_ into it. Mesmerized maybe. Naruto opened his mouth to retort but Sasuke's face clearly showed he's done with the discussion and wasn't taking any more arguments.

"Food," Sasuke said instead, holding out a plastic bag as if urging for Naruto to come and get it. Except his eyes were watching with too much deadliness for it to be innocent bag of food.

"Where did you get it?" Naruto asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Hyuga," Sasuke answered without missing a beat. As if he had comebacks and replies stored up and ready to throw at Naruto's way any time, any day.

"Which one?" Naruto questioned, he was suspecting neither. Last he remembered, he was never close with the Hyuga family in general. He learned to never mess with that side of the city.

"The one with the eyes," Sasuke said, shaking the bag impatiently and Naruto didn't miss the step he took.

"They both have eyes—"

"Listen," Sasuke interrupted and shoved the bag at Naruto. "I don't care. You don't care. We don't care. Then it doesn't matter whether we dwell on it or not."

Naruto can't bring himself to see Sasuke's point here.

"Eat."

Naruto grabbed the bag with bitterness and grumbled something about moms as he sat on the couch to rummage through the bag of food. He would gladly call Sasuke names but he knew for a fact he'll get his ass beat this time around. Risking his luck enough as it is. From here, he could almost smell the food and it made him wonder how long did he gone without something in his stomach.

"Ah, this is definitely Hinata's homemade spicy pan-fried noodles in a bucket," Naruto said, wafting the aroma toward his nose.

"Nice try," Sasuke said, settling in the seat next to Naruto. "But it's Neji's cooking."

Naruto froze, hands limp on the cap of the food container. The Hyuga family was a faction of their own. They're private detectives and human lie detectors. Creepy people and Naruto avoid them in general. But Neji was always onto something, stuffing his nose into Naruto's pants out of pure curiosity.

"What did he want?" Naruto asked, no longer hesitating as he pulled out plastic forks from the bag.

"No idea," Sasuke shrugged, took the fork Naruto handed him without looking.

Naruto shook his head, already knowing, "Hyuga Neji never shows his face without a motive."

Sasuke didn't answer, only jamming the plastic utensil into the noodles and picking up a few strands to examine.

Then he sniffed it before speaking, "A ten-year-old, whose whole family died and mother killed herself on a rainy night; left him orphaned and in the hands of unstable, clumsy, can't-keep-himself-alive Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto didn't agree on being Sasuke's guardian for this type of mental abuse.

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, eyes accusing.

"I'm a living, walking beehive for these bears, Naruto," the Uchiha said, putting the food into his mouth. "Put two and two together, he came to cut my insides out and use his x-ray eyes on me."

It was comical, to Naruto at least.

"Did it go well?" he asked for the sake of it and watched Sasuke chew his food as if the taste were too bland.

"Define 'well',"

Naruto sighed and turned to stare into the distant instead. Third day on the job and Sasuke was already proving to be too difficult for him to handle.

"Stop beating around the bush and ask what you want, Uzumaki," the raven said a bit too casual and Naruto is more than happy to take him on his invitation.

"You got a picture of Sakura's dad," Naruto blurted and eyes wide with anticipation despite knowing exactly what the reply was.

"Haruno's father?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow raised. "It's her father, why would I—"

"—have a picture of him," Naruto finished for the boy. "Cut the bull crap Uchiha, if I don't have it then you definitely do."

There was a deafening second of silence before it was disrupted.

"I do," Sasuke admitted, nodding as he set his fork down on the napkin. "But you're not touching it."

Naruto, accidentally, snapped the plastic fork he was just happen to be holding. It was plastic and too flimsy for his use.

"This is abuse, I deserve better than this!" he protested, slamming the broken utensil on the table. He was staring hard into Sasuke's eyes and like always, he had no chance. Those midnight orbs he knew from so long ago were the same, judgmental and indifferent.

"Alright, we're going back," Sasuke interrupted, his face showed the obvious attempt to avoid the subject.

"I want Kizashi's picture," Naruto said, shaking his head and staying rooted on the couch despite Sasuke's effort in dragging him away.

"Throw a tantrum when you get home," the raven grunted, yanked Naruto off the sofa only for the blond to roll onto the floor, curled into a stubborn ball.

"I disapprove," Naruto refused, shrugging Sasuke's hands off. "You're up to something again."

Sasuke stood, arms stiff by his side and by the sound of his long sigh, he seemed to have gave up on moving Naruto.

" _Me_? Up to something?" Sasuke repeated, glaring down at Naruto with an exasperated look. "Why do you sound surprised?"

"Because it bothers me," Naruto said, pushed himself off the floor and dusted his pants while he was at it. "I don't trust you."

"Aren't news to anybody," Sasuke scoffed, grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled them both toward the door. "What I do not get is your interest in the case. You never cared before."

"Well I care _now_ ," Naruto said in hushed bites because they're walking down the hall with too many watchful eyes.

"A bit _late_ don't you think?" Sasuke said, jamming his finger into the elevator's button, probably hoping to break it.

" _ **Late**_? How dare you," Naruto hissed in reply as he snatched his arm from Sasuke's hold. "Even I wouldn't say that to my grandmother."

"Well for one, you don't have a grandmother and two, you are _not_ my grandmother, so stop—" the raven had the audacity to pointed out and the elevator, just then, decided to open.

"—stop what?" said someone from inside and Naruto recognized it as Kiba. His old friend. His savior. The last person he wanted to see right now.

"Nosing into people's business," Sasuke replied and he didn't waste a millisecond doing so.

Kiba backed off, arms raised in a defensive manner.

"Me and my bad timing," he chuckled, glanced at Naruto before shoving a suspicious maroon folder at the blond.

"What is this?" Naruto asked, staring at a stack of troublesome looking papers.

Kiba was acting weird, fidgeting as he sent shifty and not so subtle glances at Sasuke.

"Ino's report," Kiba said, stepping out and waving a hand at Sasuke who's already waiting in the elevator. "On your little devil."

"Already…" Naruto mumbled, flipping briefly through the pages without really paying attention.

Ino's report. On Sasuke. After two sessions. How accurate can this possibly be Naruto wondered.

"I got to do something on this floor," Kiba said, pretending not to take sneak peeks but he was never good at hiding his motives.

"Thanks," Naruto nodded, closed the folder before joining Sasuke into the elevator. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Kiba only nodded, stayed and watched until the door slid close completely.

•••••••••••

By the time, Naruto and Sasuke got home and settled comfortably on the couch. The maroon folder thrown aside and Sasuke, a sweetheart on his exceptional days, had went out of his way to light the fireplace. They had turn the television on, not particularly picky about the channel. Naruto was already snuggled on the sofa, made himself comfortable with the blanket pulled up to his chin. Sasuke beside him, mood good because he allowed Naruto to laid his head on his lap. Little fingers ran through blond locks in a soothing manner, soft and warm. They simply sat and watched the television sizzled with the static gray screen on display. Everything was done in complete silence. Comfortable silence to be exact. Like they didn't give a care about the world or the universe surrounding it. The stars can continue burning, the water can continue running, the past can go ahead and dance its disturbing images over and over. It didn't matter with Sasuke here to hold Naruto's hands through it all. He was content with this moment, a prized picture in his hands. Sasuke had given in the moment they stepped into the house. Naruto was studying the photograph with intense focus. Eyes following the sharp lines, awed at Sasuke's ability to captured a clear image with only a vintage polaroid. Naruto can see it, the lovely Deepsea watch on Kizashi's wrist that was meant to be his.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

 **End** of **Chapter 5** : _ **Watch the Deep Sea Sinks**_

••••••••••••••••••••••••

This story was originally for my twisted mind to have some release. But then it changed to psychological studies with the sole purpose of messing with the reader. Yes, I am, too, a reader. And yes, my mind has been thorough beat.

Heed this: this story is somewhat written in 3rd person limited point of view. Meaning we don't know what the characters are **_truly_ ** thinking. What they don't know, we don't know. We're dependent on their knowledge of the events. Even now we do not know all of Sakura's or Naruto's or Kiba's or Shikamaru's and most definitely not Ino's point of view. And Sasuke...well...we don't exactly know anything about him nor what he did and saw. His side of the story is a whole different territory that holds all the strings together. Be patient lovelies, everything will come to.

January 17, 2017 00:06


End file.
